Last Updated on October 24 2024, 11:22 am

In the world of Formula One, little stands still which is evidenced perfectly by the in season development of the cars which often adds a second or more of lap time across twenty four rounds of competition. One thing however is certain in that drivers are consistently monitored by their performance against their team mates who are in effect driving through same car.

Sergio Perez has been the talk of the paddock for the best part of two seasons in part for this very reason. Last year’s summer slump from the Mexican threatened to derail Red Bull’s first 1-2 in the drivers championship but in the end Checo pulled through and bought himself another year alongside Max.

However, this year has been an utter nightmare for Sergio who has finished behind his team mate in all nineteen Grand Prix weekends bar Australia where Verstappen was forced to retire due to technical failure.

 

 

 

Perez contract performance clause

Much was made of the fact that Checo had a clause in his newly signed contract which meant Red Bull cold dispense of his services should he fall more than 100 points behind Verstappen come F1’s annual summer break. Having failed by a country mile to deliver this performance target come August, most F1 paddock folk expected Sergio to be replaced come the Grand Prix of the Netherlands.

Yet Checo survived the expected chop with Christian Horner explaining the team had decided to continue with Perez given some of his best performances in F1 were at the up coming circuits in Baku and Singapore. In the five race weekends since the Sumer break, Sergio has collected just nineteen points and now sits a whopping 204 points behind his team mate.

Perez brings substantial sponsorship from his Mexican billionaire backers and the next milestone for Sergio to negotiate is this weekends Mexican Grand Prix. A number of senior F1 writers have suggested this will be Checo’s last hurrah at the Autodromo in Mexico City and the upcoming Grand Prix will be the perfect platform for Sergio to announce his retirement from the sport.

Yet even last time out in Austin, Perez was defiant towards his critics who suggested he was starting his final six Grand Prix weekends. The Red Bull driver insisted he will “100%” be driving for Red Bull come 2025.

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Checo dismissed rumours

“Sometimes people just link these rumours and a lot of people pick it up, especially back in Mexico, with the Mexican Grand Prix coming up I didn’t want my fans to be misled into false information,” Sergio explained.

“I just wanted to make it clear that I [will] 100% will be here next year,” Perez told the official F1 channel. “I have my contract and I will fulfil it and that’s not in my mind. In my mind is to sort out the issues we have for the moment with the car.”

Checo went on to miss out on a top ten start in the Sprint event, coming home in ninth and just outside the points. His P7 in the Grand Prix was overshadowed by the fact he finished behind George Russell who had started the race from the pit lane.

The problem for Red Bull is Sergio is performing the worst against his team mate when compared to all the drivers in the other top three teams. With less than 30% of Red Bull’s entire points tally this year, Checo’s added value is little better than someone in their rookie F1 season.

McLaren team order to Piastri not broadcast

 

 

 

Horner wants drivers closer together

In fact had Perez delivered the same percentage of points for the team as has either Carlos Sainz, George Russell or Oscar Piastri (all currently sitting behind their team mates), Red Bull would be clear at the top of the teams’ championships table – and by some margin.

This lack of scoring from Checo has seen Red Bull lose the lead in the constructors’ title race to McLaren and the world champions are now just four points ahead of Ferrari in third. Christian Horner was blunt after the UGSP stating to Sky F1, “We need to make sure that with both of our drivers, that there’s not a big gap between them because you can’t afford to have that.” 

Easier said than done eh Christian? In Austin Red Bull did replace V-CARB’s Daniel Ricciardo with Liam Lawson and the young New Zealander stepped up coming home P9 in the Grand Prix and beating his team mate Yuki Tsunoda to boot.

There is a consensus feeling that Red Bull are allowing Sergio Perez the opportunity to go gracefully and the stage is set for him to make the big announcement this weekend in Mexico City. Dr. Helmut Marko who famously criticised Perez for his ‘South American’ laid back attitude now makes it crystal clear that Sergio’s contractual status means not a jot if he is outside of his performance criteria.

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Marko dismisses worth of Perez contract

“Perez may have a contract, but Formula 1 is a meritocracy,” Marko now tells German publication F1-Insider. “If the performance is not right, even contracts are useless.

“At the end of the season, we will sit down together and decide who is the best team-mate for Verstappen at Red Bull,” concluded the 81 year old Austrian.

Marko also made it plain in the run up to the USGP that Red Bull are benchmarking Liam Lawson against Yuki Tsunoda to decide which is capable – if either – of racing alongside Max Verstappen next year.

The cryptic comments often coming from the Red Bull advisor can sometimes be taken in a number of different ways. And the same is true of the following hint from Dr. Marko who claimed at the weekend he expects a “young driver alongside Max Verstappen,” in 2025.

Horner cites “several factors” for RBR turnaround

 

 

 

Red Bull’s next star 17 year old

Whether this excludes Lawson who will have eleven Grand Prix weekends under his belt come Abu Dhabi, time will tell. But the F1 master of Red Bull secrets did reveal after the British GP that he was delighted with the FIA’s new stance on the minimum driver age limit.

Having dominated both F3 races that weekend, Red Bull’s sixteen year old Arvin Linblad was praised by Marko. “Arvid Lindblad shone in Formula 3. He was a rookie who went straight from Formula 4 to Formula 3 and won both races. He is only 16 years old and we are delighted that he can now drive in Formula 1 again at 17,” Marko told assembled media.

However the dominos fall for Red Bull’s junior drivers, Marko’s comment that contracts are worth nothing if a driver is not delivering on track, clearly spell the end for Sergio Perez at Red Bull Racing.

Perez father on sons retirement

 

 

 

Hamilton gives up seat for Mexican GP

#Mercedes unleash Kimi Antonelli for Mexican GP: Young driver takes big step towards F1 debut in 2025 as rising star Antonelli to race alongside Russell next season – Kimi Antonelli, a rising sensation in Formula One, will make his second appearance for Mercedes this weekend at the Mexican Grand Prix.

The young Italian driver has already been confirmed to race alongside George Russell in the 2025 season, marking a significant milestone in his burgeoning career.Before that, however, he will take part in the first practice session (FP1) for the Mexican Grand Prix on Friday, giving him invaluable experience ahead of his full-time debut next year… READ MORE