Pérez leaves Red Bull, Daly's Indycar Return and NASCAR says goodbye to a legend

Welcome to Draft Line Digest, your weekly racing newsletter for the latest motorsport news! From the track to the garage and beyond, we’ve got you covered, whether you're a die-hard Formula 1 fan or a rookie regarding anything with four wheels and an engine.

In this issue: Sergio Pérez exits Red Bull and the 2025 F1 grid is finally set. Plus: Conor Daly returns to full-time IndyCar competition and NASCAR mourns the loss of a legend. Rev it up and let’s go!

Table of Contents

• 🏎️🔁Formula 1: Pérez Out, Lawson In

• 🔙Conor Daly makes a comeback

• 🕊️Fred Lorenzen passes away

• ⏮️Lap around memory lane

🏎️🔁Formula 1: Pérez Out, Lawson In

He was known to be on a hot seat, and now it’s official: Sergio Pérez is no longer a driver for the Red Bull team. The contract between the 34-year-old Mexican and Christian Horner’s team, initially set to run until the end of 2026, has been terminated. “Checo” pays the price for his poor performances during the 2024 Formula 1 season, where he finished 8th in the championship.

This is despite a strong start to the season, with six Top 5 finishes (including four podiums) in the first six races. However, his contract extension, announced just before the Canadian GP (where he later retired), seems to have marked the beginning of his decline. Over four seasons, Pérez participated in 90 Grand Prix, securing 29 podiums and 5 of his career's six victories.

Pérez faced increasing scrutiny this season due to inconsistent performances. After finishing 7th at the Belgian Grand Prix in July, Red Bull publicly supported him despite widespread doubts about his competitiveness. Before the Austin race, rumors circulated that the former Sauber driver was considering retirement. Pérez dismissed these claims on social media (notably with a post that seems ironic in hindsight).

By November, talks of dismissing Sergio Pérez gained traction at Red Bull's Milton Keynes headquarters. On December 18, 2024—exactly four years to the day after his signing with the team—Pérez was officially let go. “We have broken records, reached remarkable milestones, and I have had the privilege of meeting many incredible people along the way,” said the Mexican in his farewell statement.

The 2023 Formula 1 Vice-Champion will now make way for Liam Lawson. The 22-year-old New Zealander has limited experience in Formula 1, with just 11 races under his belt between 2023 and 2024 for Red Bull’s sister team, Racing Bulls. Lawson stepped in to replace Daniel Ricciardo after the Singapore Grand Prix and delivered notable performances, finishing 9th in both the U.S. and Brazilian races. “Joining Red Bull is a lifelong dream for me. This is something I’ve wanted and worked towards since I was eight years old,” Lawson said in his announcement.

Christian Horner also praised the young driver: “Liam’s performances during his stints with Racing Bulls have shown that he’s not only capable of delivering strong results but is also a true racer, unafraid to go toe-to-toe with the best and come out on top.”

The decision to promote Lawson alongside four-time World Champion Max Verstappen places him under significant scrutiny in the paddock. Fans hope his tenure at Red Bull will last longer than that of Pierre Gasly, who was demoted back to the then-Alpha Tauri team after only 12 races in 2019. Frenchman Isack Hadjar will replace Lawson at Racing Bulls as the second driver alongside Yuki Tsunoda, a driver whose own F1 career has been hampered by the lack of Honda’s backing to secure the coveted Red Bull seat.

Meanwhile, Mercedes has announced former Sauber and Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas as their third driver for the 2025 season. A homecoming for the Finnish driver, who previously raced for Mercedes from 2017 to 2021.

🔙Conor Daly makes a comeback

His career was believed to be over 18 months ago, but Conor Daly is back. In June 2023, he was released by Ed Carpenter Racing. Now, with the help of a $3 million sponsorship from Polkadot, a blockchain platform, Daly will join Juncos Hollinger Racing for the 2025 season.

Daly will team up with Sting Ray Robb. Known for his prowess on oval tracks, Daly boasts four Top 10 finishes at the Indianapolis 500. Most recently, he claimed a podium with a third-place finish in Race 1 at Milwaukee, driving for Juncos Hollinger Racing under a partial-season program.

“After the excitement and success we shared in 2024, including Milwaukee, it feels like the perfect next step. I’m grateful for Ricardo and Brad's belief in me as I embark on the revitalization of my career. I look forward to pursuing podiums and wins with this incredible group,” said Daly, the son of former F1 driver Derek Daly.

Daly’s arrival at Juncos Hollinger Racing pushes Romain Grosjean closer to the exit. The French driver now faces slim chances of securing one of the two remaining seats available at Dale Coyne Racing. This is the same team that gave him his first full-time IndyCar opportunity in 2021, following his harrowing crash in Bahrain during the 2020 Formula 1 season.

🕊️Fred Lorenzen passes away

Following the death of Bobby Allison on November 9, another NASCAR legend has passed away on December 18, 2024. Fred Lorenzen died at 89, leaving behind a rich legacy in stock car racing. Lorenzen was the first NASCAR driver to earn more than $100,000 in a single season (1963). Known for his good looks, Lorenzen achieved 26 career victories, including the 1965 Daytona 500.

His performances in the 1960s made him one of the most popular drivers of the decade, during NASCAR's golden era, earning him the nickname "Golden Boy." An Illinois native, he was among the first Northern drivers to be competitive in NASCAR, at a time when the "Good Old Boys" from the South dominated the sport. His best finish in the NASCAR Grand National Series standings was third, achieved in 1963.

⏮️Lap around memory lane

This year, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), has shown hostility toward drivers swearing, even going so far as to punish drivers like Max Verstappen with community service and Charles Leclerc with a €10,000 fine. Not enough? What if Formula One took inspiration from NASCAR in 2004? Even if it meant penalizing a driver in a strong position to win the championship.

On October 3, 2004, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the EA Sports 500 at Talladega. It was his fifth victory at the Alabama oval (his father, Earnhardt Sr., had 10 wins there). Not surprising, as in the 2000s, "Little E" dominated on "Restrictor Plate" tracks. And remember, Talladega is Earnhardt Country.

On Victory Lane, when asked by a journalist about the significance of his performance, he replied, "It don't mean shit right now. Daddy's won here 10 times." This off-the-cuff remark earned the #8 Budweiser driver a $10,000 fine and a 25-point penalty in the championship standings. The penalty was handed down by NASCAR, which was cracking down on vulgar behavior following the "Nipplegate" scandal that shocked viewers during Super Bowl XXXVIII, the same year.

It was a shame because, without the penalty, Earnhardt Jr. would have led the NASCAR Championship standings by 13 points over Kurt Busch. Instead, he found himself 12 points behind the driver of the #97 Sharpie car heading into the next playoff races. Busch ultimately claimed the championship, while Earnhardt Jr. finished 5th. Even though the final standings would have been the same without the penalty, perhaps the DEI driver would have approached the Kansas Speedway race differently.

🎙️SPEEDY WISDOM