F1
Magnussen, Bottas, Perez… What will Formula 1 rejects do in 2025?
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Kevin Magnussen
2024: Pilot Haas / 2025: BMW Endurance Driver (Hypercar)
© Javier Jimenez / DPPI
Among the seven rejected from the Formula 1 At the end of this 2024 season, he is perhaps the one who landed best on his feet: after the end of his adventure at Haas, Kevin Magnussen quickly found a way out in Endurance. And what a way out! The Dane joins BMW's Hypercar program and will compete in the World Endurance Championship – with the 24H of Le Mans of course – but also the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 12 hours from Sebring and Little Le Mans in IMSA with the propeller mark.
Valtteri Bottas
2024: Sauber Driver / 2025: Mercedes reserve driver
© Javier Jimenez / DPPI
It's been in the air for a little while: Valtteri Bottas to return to Mercedes in 2025, as reserve driver. The Finn, who was not retained by Sauber for next season and will be replaced by Gabriel Bortoleto, quickly reconnected with Toto wolff and the German team, for whom he drove between 2017 and 2021 (with ten victories and five Constructors' titles). At 35, the extravagant Finn is not finished with Formula 1. However, in 2025, Valtteri Bottas is tempted by other disciplines to keep busy, like rallying or Australian Supercars.
Sergio Pérez
2024: Pilot Red Bull / 2025: Unknown program
© Xavi Bonilla / DPPI
He is the latest driver to be rejected before the 2025 season: Sergio Pérez will no longer drive for Red Bull in Formula 1, he who will be replaced by Liam Lawson next year in Milton Keynes. The Mexican finds himself in a situation he has never been in since his arrival in F1 in 2011: that of a driver without a drive for next season. The man with six Grand Prix victories could well spend a year on the sidelines before aiming for a return – to a new American team for example? – in 2026… in the meantime, the man with six Grand Prix victories confided, at the beginning of January, that he would make a decision on the rest of his career "within the next six months". See you in the summer of 2025, then.
Logan sargeant
2024: Pilot Williams / 2025: IDEC Sport Endurance Driver (LM P2)
© Eric Alonso /DPPI
If many saw him continuing his career in IndyCar (He also carried out tests with Meyer Shank Racing in November.), it will finally be in Endurance that Logan sargeant will begin the new chapter of his motorsport career. Thanked by Williams during the season and replaced by Franco Colapinto, the American had half a season to remobilize and find a new project. And this new project is offered to him by Genesis. The Korean manufacturer will arrive in Hypercar in 2026 and to test its potential future drivers, the brand has placed Logan Sargeant, Jamie Chadwick and Mathys Jaubert in ELMS for next season, in the LM P2 category, with their partner IDEC Sport.
Guanyu-Zhou
2024: Sauber Driver / 2025: Unknown program
© Xavi Bonilla / DPPI
No, Guanyu-Zhou is not finished in Formula 1. The Chinese driver with 68 Grands Prix with Sauber intends to return to the premier category one day. After three years spent at Hinwil (Switzerland), the 25-year-old driver was not renewed by the Swiss team, which preferred Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto for the 2025 season. Forced to stay on the sidelines in Formula 1, the Shanghai native has no ambition to look elsewhere. While some rumors associate him with a reserve driver position among some Top Teams – Ferrari and Red Bull in particular – Guanyu Zhou assures that he will not compete in other championships in 2025.
Daniel Ricciardo
2024: Racing Bulls Driver / 2025: Unknown program
© Antonin Vincent / DPPI
In this list, this is the driver whose future in motorsport is the most uncertain: Daniel Ricciardo has not given any indication or clues about what's next in his career. The eight-time Formula 1 Grand Prix winner was sidelined by Racing Bulls last September after the Singapore Grand Prix and has been keeping a low profile ever since. He is known to be fond of NASCAR and American races but for now, nothing very concrete for the Australian. During his last public outing, He said he was not interested in returning to Formula 1 with Cadillac., implying that his career in the premier class was over.
Franco Colapinto
2024: Williams driver / 2025: Reserve driver Alpine
© Florent Gooden / DPPI
After the enchanted interlude and his nine Grands Prix contested in Formula 1 to end the 2024 season, Franco Colapinto was logically supposed to return to his place as reserve driver at Williams. However, the Argentinian could well have found a good opportunity to return to the grid… and sooner than expected! On January 9, Alpine announced the recruitment of Franco Colapinto as a reserve driver. A transfer that is not really surprising, when you consider that the arrowed A has long been eyeing the Argentinian driver and his sponsors. Obviously, this arrival puts Jack Doohan in a delicate position: the young Australian, who will make his debut as a regular driver in 2025, is already under pressure from his potential future replacement. And knowing the Briatore method – which has already ensured that he could change one of his drivers during the season in 2025 – the second bucket Alpine could quickly change ownership…
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Dorian Grangier
A young journalist nostalgic for the motorsport of yesteryear. Raised on the exploits of Sébastien Loeb and Fernando Alonso.
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Yves-Henri RANDIER
12/01/2025 at 03:26 a.m.
The only mullet in the paddock will certainly have scheduling difficulties with his status as Mercedes reserve driver, which will require him to be present at all 24 Grand Prix. It's not easy to fit in mountain bike races and/or participation in the Australian Supercars championship, even if it mainly takes place during the F1 winter break.
Bernard
21/12/2024 at 07:17 a.m.
I just realized that Verstappen's new teammate is Lawson. I think that between these two, sparks will fly. That's my feeling.
Yves-Henri RANDIER
21/12/2024 at 12:19 a.m.
Zhou reserve driver in 2025 at Ferrari and Red Bull, yet another disavowal for the famous sectors/academies!
vincent moyet
21/12/2024 at 12:09 a.m.
It's especially a shame for Colapinto who showed some good things (and a few crashes), while some drivers are complete beginners and therefore a total unknown (Bortoleto, Antonelli, Hadjar).