Yet another young driver leaves the Red Bull junior programme

For the third time this season, a driver has left the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing junior programme. It has emerged that Lucas Auer has been shown the exit door after his season in Super Formula. The Austrian finished the season in ninth place, picking up just one podium in seven races. Auer joins Dan Ticktum and Patricio O'Ward who have been forced to walk away. 

The Academy at Red Bull Racing is the most successful in the F1 paddock but it has hit a few bumps recently. Not only at the bottom with those three drivers being dumped, but also at the top with Pierre Gasly in particular. During this winter break, it looks like further news has emerged. 

“The Tyrolean will look for other fields of activity as he is no longer in the Red Bull squad,” the Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung reported. The report said Red Bull boss Marko cited Auer’s age (25) and his shortage of F1 Super Licence points as the reasons for the “mutual” split.

There are now just six drivers in the junior programme, all of who joined in either 2018 or 2019. Estonian driver Jüri Vips, Australian Jack Doohan, Norwegian Dennis Hauger, Brit Jonny Edgar, New Zealander Liam Lawson, and Japanese Yuki Tsunoda remain within the team.