The relationship between Sergio Perez and Formula One’s Red Bull Racing has been under intense scrutiny for some months. Having fallen more than 100 points behind his team mate at the F1 summer break, the team from Milton Keynes were expected to end Checo’s misery and replace him with favourite Daniel Ricciardo.
Yet somehow Sergio survived ‘the chop’ with Dr. Helmut Marko and Christian Horner claiming the next four races included some circuits where Checo excelled. Just over month later, Sergio had collected just thirteen points across the four race weekends despite having being victorious previously in Baku and Singapore.
However, the autumn F1 break saw Ricciardo not Perez leaving the Red Bull family as reports emerged Sergio was safe until after his home Grand Prix in Mexico City. Last season at the Autodromo Romanos Rodriguez, Sergio hurtled into turn one competing for the lead of the race, but a collision with Charles Leclerc saw the Mexican retire the car.
Another miserable home race for Checo
With the philosophy front and centre that things must improve at sometimes, Sergio headed for Mexico this year with hopes high for his home Grand Prix. And whilst Checo avoided another first corner retirement, the torture he endured during the race made for difficult watching.
One last ditch attempt was made by Red Bull to grab the fastest lap for their Mexican driver as the race drew to a close but even this was to fail as Perez trailed home last and was classified a lap down from the winner Carlos Sainz.
With Brazil just days away, Red Bull were never considering ditching Perez who once again came away empty handed in the Grand Prix although Checo claimed eighth in the Sprint and added a single point across the weekend to the Red Bull team cause.
Now with the third mini break of the season on the horizon, paddock talk turned once again too Red Bull’s predicament. Theories were in abundance suggesting the world champions could try out either Lawson or Tsunoda over the last three race weekends with Checo benched one and for all.
Hamilton ‘ousted’ from Mercedes team meetings
Red Bull uncertain over Lawson & Tsunoda
In a twist in the narrative, the F1 media has been questioning whether the Red Bull management believe either Lawson or Tsunoda are ready to face the force of nature that is Max Verstappen. Lawson has been putting it about on track and in Mexico was guilty of causing damage to Checo’s car and as if to add insult to injury the New Zealander flipped Perez the bird when the pair next shared the same piece of asphalt.
Liam is making it known he is no shy or retiring violet and in Brazil was publicly critical of McLaren for having the British national anthem played when one of their drivers claimed the top step of the podium. Lawson argues the team was founded by a New Zealander and should race under that nations banner, yet the naivety of Liam’s words appear to have gone unnoticed for now, given McLaren’s rich British racing history.
Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda was placed with Red Bull as part of the deal with Honda to supply F1 power units and now I his fourth year in the sport looks as though his future is bleak. He has never even tested a Red Bull car for real this despite his new team mate being seen putting in lap after lap at Silverstone this summer, with the two year old RB18.
Red Bull have also been linked with Franco Colapinto as a direct replacement for Perez, but whilst the Argentinian is hot property at the present, his run in F1 is not long enough to establish whether he is really ready for a front running car or not.
Steiner: ‘Thats why Hamilton is complaining a lot more now’
Spanish media says ‘deal done’
In a reversal of the long running narrative which suggests Sergio Perez will ultimately leave Red Bull, if only at the end of the season, now Spanish media outlet Marca leads with the headline: “Sergio Perez to remain at Red Bull in 2025 with a new lucrative deal.”
Critically the news outlet reports Perez has been given the green light by Red Bull to develop his clothing and merchandising products for next year. “It is a kind of agreement that precedes a production process and has received all the approvals from the economic team, after approval by [Christian] Horner.”
Perez’s new sponsor is not mentioned by Marca, although he is one of the biggest attractions for finance currently sitting on the F1 grid. Current partnerships with Claro, Telcel and Infinitium all take care of Perez’s $10m a year salary and contribute some $30m into the coffers of Red Bull Racing.
Lawson aggression too much? As he calls out McLaren
Perez will see out his contract
MARCA: “Those who consider him written off will have to wait a little longer, as he has a contract through 2025. Unless something changes at the last minute (which is not impossible at Red Bull), it looks like he is going to honour that contract.”
Were this improbable turn of events to come to pass, both Yuki and his team mate would remain at V-CARB for 2025, although Lawson as yet is being “evaluated” by Dr. Marko and as yet has no contract for next year.
Should Sergio Perez not only survive the final triple header to the season’s finale in Abu Dhabi, many F1 folk will be surprised but should Checo return to the grid for the Australian seasoner opener next year, his theme tune going forward will surely be “I will survive” by Gloria Gaynor.
“Stupid” F1 star who “doesn’t want to be a driver”
Ever since Lawrence Stroll bought Aston Martin and rebranded his Formula One team to the same name, questions have been asked of the Canadian billionaire as to his exact ambitions in the cut throat sport. His $200m investment in state of the art facilities are akin to the funding Mercedes brought to the Brackley based outfit they bought from Brawn GP.
Stroll has been strengthening the engineering capabilities of the Aston Martin F1 team and his coup detente came this season as the team proudly announced they had captured the signature of Red Bull’s guru designer Adrian Newey.
Aston Martin recruited former world champion Sebastian Vettel to spearhead their attack when the former Red Bull man was exited from Ferrari. When Vettel announced his retirement from F1, Aston Martin replaced their world champion driver in a matter of days with another in Fernando Alonso… READ MORE
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
