Red Bull to Decide on Perez’s Future at the End of the 2024 Season
Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko announced that a decision regarding Sergio Perez’s participation with the team in 2025 will be made at the end of the 2024 season.
The future of Sergio Perez has come under scrutiny following a poor season in which he has lagged behind teammate Max Verstappen, currently sitting 204 points behind. In June, Red Bull attempted to quell speculation about Perez’s position by announcing that he had signed a multi-year contract until 2026. However, this news did not lead to the expected performance improvement. Perez is currently eighth in the championship and has not stood on the podium since April.
While the team had decided to give Perez another chance during the summer, his ongoing struggles have rekindled rumors about a potential replacement. Speculation increased after Christian Horner explained that Liam Lawson’s mid-season promotion to RB was related to evaluating his suitability for the main team.
Marko further intensified the pressure on Perez by stating that the Mexican driver’s contract does not guarantee he will partner Verstappen next season. He told F1 Insider, “Perez may have a contract, but there is a merit-based system in Formula 1. If performance is not as it should be, contracts don’t mean anything. We will sit down at the end of the season to decide who the best teammate for Verstappen is.”
Perez’s difficulties have contributed to Red Bull losing its lead in the Constructors’ Championship to McLaren, while Ferrari’s resurgence poses a serious threat. Horner noted that Red Bull’s championship hopes hinge on Perez performing better in the remaining five races.
Horner expressed, “I congratulate Ferrari again for this weekend. They were very, very strong. Both of their drivers are fighting at the front. McLaren’s drivers are similarly competitive; there is not a big difference among them. At this point, we really need Checo to step up for the Constructors’ Championship.”
Horner hopes that the massive support Perez receives at his home race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez this weekend will give him the morale boost he needs.
Horner stated, “I hope the support he receives in Mexico gives him the morale boost he needs.” He added, “When you have a poor result in qualifying, you lose so much time trying to overtake the cars in front that you lose connection with the rest of the race.”
