Jean-Eric Vergne: He gets a nod mainly because of him being at Toro Rosso. Even though Red Bull has only done it once, and have never changed their line-up as a world champion team, Toro Rosso just seems like the natural place for them to grab drivers from. I picked him over Ricciardo because Vergne's the number one driver and did better last year and is currently doing better than Ricciardo. His chances aren't too great unless he wins a race this year or consistently outperforms his teammate and the expectations of where the car should place.
Lewis Hamilton: Even though it might be a stretch, Hamilton might back out of his Mercedes deal if a spot at Red Bull becomes available. Even though he can be a bit disobedient as he proved at Mclaren, Red Bull apparently doesn't care too much about that, so that won't be an obstacle. The main issue seems to be that Vettel and him wouldn't get along. Hamilton would challenge Vettel, which Vettel doesn't seem to be able to deal with well. His chances are slim mainly because of his current contract with Mercedes.
Kimi Raikkonen: The Iceman has cometh, and this time, he may cometh in red and blue. He is probably the strongest candidate because he's a world champion and is not at that great of a team right now. I can see the switch happening, and it would be fun to see him go head-to-head with Vettel. Lotus is also considering bringing back Kubica, so the seat could easily be filled.
Nico Rosberg: He hasn't gotten much attention as a great driver, however he has done a lot. He's amassed a sizeable amount of podiums throughout the years and won his first race last year, all while being teammates with a 7-time world champion. Red Bull might not recognize his skill yet, but if they look into him and his great track record (no pun intended), he could be a candidate.
Nico Hulkenburg: The most unlikely suitor, however, he does have chances to show his skill, and he did last year in Brazil. The car may hold him down, but he could pull a Perez and end up on RBR.
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