Sergio Perez’s future at Red Bull remains uncertain as team boss Christian Horner signals the driver must assess his own next steps.
Christian Horner stated that Red Bull would let Sergio Perez “draw his own conclusions” about his F1 future with the team.
The pressure continues to mount on Perez after another underwhelming weekend at the Qatar Grand Prix, which ended with a retirement following a spin. This came just 24 hours after Red Bull was baffled by the Mexican’s botched start from the pit lane during the sprint race.
Perez is under contract until 2025, but his future is expected to be discussed during a meeting of Red Bull’s key stakeholders after next week’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“Look, Checo has had a very tough year. Obviously, the points table is what it is,” said Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, after Sunday’s race in Qatar.
“We’re very focused on supporting him through to the checkered flag in Abu Dhabi. Obviously, it’s not a pleasant situation for Checo to be in, dealing with speculation every week.”
“He’s old enough and wise enough to understand the situation, and yes, let’s see where we are after Abu Dhabi.”
Does this mean Red Bull will leave the decision to Perez? It’s suggested that Red Bull may not have contractual grounds to remove their driver, which seems surprising. Horner did not confirm.
“Contractual clauses are confidential. But I can say I’ll let Checo draw his own conclusions. Nobody is forcing him one way or the other; I’ll let him decide… it’s obviously not a pleasant situation for him.”
When asked what Red Bull would do if Perez decided to stay in line with his contract, Horner responded: “Let’s get through Abu Dhabi and see where we stand.”
Over his four seasons with Red Bull, Perez has secured five Grand Prix victories and played a key role in helping the team clinch two consecutive Constructors’ World Championships in 2022 and 2023.
Red Bull has slipped to third place behind McLaren and Ferrari in the team standings, further increasing the pressure on Perez.
“Checo has contributed massively to this team over the past four years. The World Championship Max won in 2021, the Constructors’ Championships in 2022 and 2023.”
“Obviously, this year has been particularly tough. He’s won five Grands Prix for us and delivered standout performances in races like Singapore, Azerbaijan, and Saudi Arabia, to name a few.”
“Everyone holds the utmost respect for Checo, but it’s clear that the situation we’re in is as painful for him as it is for the team.”
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Perez Faces Painful Decision Amid Red Bull Pressure Perez Faces Painful Decision Amid Red Bull Pressure
