With Sergio Perez’s Red Bull seat under scrutiny, team insiders Steiner and Montoya ponder whether sponsorship funds can maintain his precarious position.
Can Sergio Perez’s money and sponsors continue to save his place in F1?
The debate is on, as “Checo’s” future has yet to be announced. However, rumors suggest he will be replaced at Red Bull after finishing eighth in the drivers’ championship.
Gunther Steiner believes Perez should make up for it by paying a bonus to Red Bull staff following his poor performances in 2024.
Dr. Helmut Marko made it clear that the loss of the constructors’ title is largely due to the points deficit caused by the Mexican compared to Max Verstappen, who claimed his fourth consecutive world championship.
The Austrian pointed out that because of this “poor” third-place finish in the championship, employees will miss out on their usual bonuses.
Steiner has suggested that Perez should cover the shortfall in the expected bonus.
“Pay the guys their bonus! That’s what he should do. Especially now, even if he doesn’t drive next season, he’ll still be fully paid by Red Bull for breaching his contract.”
Perez could remain as a reserve driver and ambassador, but Steiner says such a negotiation is far from straightforward.
“A driver typically has personal service agreements with sponsors, etc. And those are certainly in place for next year. He’ll say, ‘Guys, you’re making my life difficult. Now I’m unemployed, and all these sponsors won’t pay me because I’m not driving my F1 car.'”
“We’re talking about a significant loss of income for Checo—several tens of millions of dollars. How do you make up for that?”
So, should Red Bull resign themselves to keeping Perez?
“I’d be really surprised if Checo came back next year. The damage to Red Bull from not winning the championship isn’t just financial—it’s reputational as well. Sure, they won the drivers’ championship, but they lost the constructors’ championship because they were effectively racing with one and a half cars instead of two. At some point, someone has to take responsibility.”
Juan Pablo Montoya, a seven-time F1 race winner, wouldn’t be surprised to see Perez extended nonetheless. Is the constructors’ championship that crucial when you have Max Verstappen? According to the Colombian, the question is worth asking.
“It’s funny—by finishing third, they’ll get more wind tunnel time and everything for the 2026 car.”
“So, is it really that bad having Checo there? They’ve got the world champion, and they have more wind tunnel time!”
“And what they lose by not winning the constructors’ championship, they probably make up for with Checo’s merchandising, Red Bull sales, and the money he brings in. So, where’s the downside? And you’ve got a team dedicated to one driver.”
David Coulthard, still a Red Bull ambassador, says Perez needs to play his cards right.
“Checo is a really good guy, but it’s painful to see his resistance to the facts, and I can only assume it’s a game of management.”
“Julian Jakobi is his manager—we’ve known and respected Julian for many years; he’s a smart manager and good for drivers. But his job is to ensure the money is there.”
“So, I can only imagine this is about trying to negotiate the biggest possible payout for Checo to leave on his own terms, rather than saying, ‘OK, we’ll pay you what we agreed for next year, but we’re not giving you a race car.’ That could happen, but it would be a real shame.”
Coulthard added that he hoped negotiations wouldn’t reach that point, because if they did, “I’d lose a bit of respect for Julian and Checo.”
“At the end of the day, the data doesn’t lie. If there’s a contract, then of course, a contract must be honored through negotiation.”
“But I hope they can resolve it like adults rather than going to court.”
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Steiner – Montoya: Checo’s cash hold Red Bull spot? Steiner – Montoya: Checo’s cash hold Red Bull spot?
