Hill believes Norris is a good option for Red Bull: "But he's still got a few more years left at McLaren"

Damon Hill thinks the pressure on Sergio Pérez is already very high, which is why it's not surprising that Red Bull Racing is looking for a possible replacement. The former Formula 1 driver knows that the Austrian team is considering Daniel Ricciardo, but Hill wouldn't find it strange if Red Bull wants to put a new face in the car. The former world champion would like to see Lando Norris join the reigning world champion, but the McLaren driver still has a long-term contract with the British team.

Pérez kicked off the current Formula 1 season with a promising start. The driver had confidence in his championship duel against teammate Max Verstappen, but in the past five Grands Prix, the gap between the two Red Bull drivers has only grown larger. Hill views Pérez's growing gap as a cause for concern. "I think he is already under pressure. Red Bull cannot afford to have a car that good and not have two cars right up there for the championship,' remarks the former world champion to The Independent.

Red Bull searching for a fresh face

Consequently, there is already speculation about the seat of the man from Guadalajara at Red Bull. Nyck de Vries is uncertain about his seat at sister team AlphaTauri, and at Red Bull the position next to Verstappen is also uncertain. Several names have been mentioned as possible replacements. One of them is already with the Austrian team. “Is Daniel Ricciardo fit enough to come back? That’s what the noises are. Maybe that plan is simmering away. I think they’d want a fresh face."

Hill mentions a driver who has been previously linked to Red Bull. "Possibly Lando (Norris, ed.). He’s still got a few more years left at McLaren." However, the British driver has a long-term contract with the McLaren team, and Zak Brown is not worried about Norris leaving. Hill doesn't understand the driver's choice to sign such a long contract. "It's a long time; I would have three years tops. If you’re that confident in yourself, you need to be able to move when the time is right”, says the former driver.