Sergio Pérez’s F1 season spiraled into chaos, marked by poor results, errors, and a contract termination despite earlier promise.
Everything (almost) started well for Sergio Pérez in 2024. Following a challenging end to the 2023 season, the Red Bull driver secured four podiums in five races, positioning himself as the only driver capable of keeping pace with his teammate Max Verstappen at the start of the year.
However, in a pattern reminiscent of previous seasons, the Mexican driver lost ground as the races progressed. Missing the podium but still securing top-five finishes in Miami and Imola, he faced a Q1 elimination in Monaco, just like in 2023.
This time, his race ended in a massive crash, followed by another retirement in Canada. Regularly eliminated in Q2 or even Q1 as the season went on, Pérez committed numerous errors and suffered accidents, such as in Imola (pictured above), Hungary, and Brazil.
His occasional points finishes in the summer were not enough to overshadow missed opportunities, particularly in Baku, where he was in contention for a podium before colliding with Carlos Sainz in the final moments of the race.
The surprising contract extension he secured in the spring—amid tensions between Christian Horner and Helmut Marko—allowed him to exercise his rights, without which he would likely have been dismissed before the season’s end.
Statistically, Pérez’s season was disastrous: 152 points compared to Max Verstappen’s 437, with the Dutchman dominating 23-1 in both races and qualifying. Another brutal statistic: Pérez was eliminated in Q1 more times this year than Verstappen has been since joining Red Bull in early 2016.
One figure highlights the extent of the damage: 34. That’s the number of points Max Verstappen scored over the final two weekends of the year. It’s also the total points Pérez scored in the second half of the season, across the last 12 weekends.
With such a season, retaining his seat for 2025 was impossible, especially considering the psychological toll the year took on him, making it hard to envision a similar campaign next year.
Pérez can take solace in having pulled off a clever move by securing a payout equivalent to two years of his contract, undoubtedly leaving Red Bull’s orbit with a substantial check from the Austrian team.
His Future in Formula 1
Sergio Pérez’s future seems to point toward a sabbatical year, as it has been confirmed he won’t be with Racing Bulls. It remains to be seen whether he will feel ready to take on a new challenge in 2026 or if he will choose to explore other opportunities beyond the rather bleak horizons of Formula 1.
Statistics
- 8th in the championship with 152 points
— 0 wins
— 0 pole positions
— 4 podiums
— 1 fastest lap
— 0 Hat Tricks
— 0 Grand Slams
— 1 lap led
— 1,264 laps completed (87.53%)
— Average qualifying position: 9.33
— Average race position: 7.90
Comparison with Max Verstappen
- Races: 23/1 in favor of Max Verstappen
- Qualifying: 23/1 in favor of Max Verstappen
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F1 2024 Season Review – Sergio Pérez F1 2024 Season Review – Sergio Pérez
