Christian Horner says there is ‘strength in depth’ in the Red Bull Junior Team as they look to the next future talents that will be in consideration for a promotion to Formula 1.
In 2021, Red Bull’s young driver programme promoted Japanese racer Yuki Tsunoda to the Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda team in place of Daniil Kvyat, meaning six of the current grid have, at some point, been a part of the Junior Team.
Tsunoda joined Max Verstappen, Pierre Gasly, Sebastian Vettel, Carlos Sainz Jr. and Daniel Ricciardo in being brought into Formula 1 by Red Bull, while in 2022, Alexander Albon will re-join the grid and make it a super seven.
But looking to the future, Red Bull have a number of young drivers coming through the ranks in both FIA Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3, and Horner says there are plenty of options for Red Bull and plenty of decisions to make regarding those making waves in junior formulae.
“We have this group of young talent coming through,” said Horner to Formula1.com. “We have Liam Lawson and Jüri Vips in F2, we have got Dennis Hauger leading the way in F3 and an exciting young American, Jak Crawford.
“So, there is strength and depth in the junior programme.”
As well as the forementioned drivers, Red Bull also have in their ranks Formula 2 race winner Jehan Daruvala as well as Formula 3 stars Jonny Edgar and Ayuma Iwasa, while 2022 will see the arrival of Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine frontrunner Isack Hadjar.
Jack Doohan, who like Hauger is a Red Bull-supported driver rather than a fully-fledged member of the Red Bull Junior Team, has also been tipped for success and is likely to be brought into Formula 2 with the backing of the energy drinks company in 2022.