For a driver in a car outside the top five in the constructors’ championship, a place in the top ten of the drivers’ standings comes with added satisfaction, and that battle is largely between Nico Hulkenberg and Pierre Gasly. The pair are separated by just one point – in Hulkenberg’s favour – but don’t rule out Yuki Tsunoda from six points behind Gasly either.
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Uncertain futures
No drivers are officially retiring at this stage in their careers, but for many this weekend is set to be their final Formula 1 start for the foreseeable future. With a number of rookies joining the grid next season, Valtteri Bottas, Kevin Magnussen and Zhou Guanyu are all without race seats for 2025, while Franco Colapinto is also coming to the end of his interim spell racing for Williams.
Of that quartet, Colapinto has put himself in the frame to potentially be picked up by Red Bull should there be a change of line-up across the two teams they own, but he is currently due to drop off the grid.
Technically, Liam Lawson also doesn’t have his future confirmed, with RB only having stated he would drive until the end of this season when he replaced Daniel Ricciardo. The expectation is he will at least remain with the team in 2025, if he doesn’t get a shot in the Red Bull should Sergio Perez be replaced.
Perez currently has a contract for the next two seasons but Red Bull have communicated they will be presenting potential other options to their shareholders after this weekend’s race, so a change could be made following a disappointing season for the 34-year-old.