F1 News: Is Sergio Perez Worried About Contract After Qualifying Mishap? - 'I Will Not Give Up'

Alex Harrington | Jul 7, 2024

19th placed qualifier Sergio Perez of Mexico and Oracle Red Bull Racing walks in the Pitlane during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 06, 2024 in Northampton, England. / Getty Images

During the wet qualifying session at the British Grand Prix, Sergio Perez faced a significant setback. Early in the session, Perez lost control of his car at Copse corner, ending up in the gravel trap which left him high and dry, ending his qualifying performance in 19th. This incident is a continuation of his recent string of poor performances, where he has scored only 15 points since the Imola race— starkly contrasting with teammate Max Verstappen’s 101 points during the same time frame.

Perez's struggle, particularly evident in recent qualifying sessions where he failed to progress to the top 10 in four out of the last six races, has reignited concerns about his ability to support Red Bull in defending its constructors’ title. Despite these challenges, he remains under contract until 2026, a deal replete with performance-related clauses, while the team weighs alternative strategies should his slump persist.

Perez’s challenges at the British Grand Prix were exacerbated by the conditions, as he explained:

"It was very frustrating. Turn 9 was really tricky, very difficult, especially in the beginning. As I was trying to warm up the tyres, when I downshifted, I basically lost the rear end quite badly and I went off the track." He openly admitted his error, saying:  "I had cold tyres and it's full of standing water outside of the track, so I just ended up going into the gravel. I couldn't stop the car, I couldn't go straight. A few people went off, it clearly was a tricky corner. But anyway, I put my hand up, because I f**ked up today."

Despite these setbacks, Perez remains defiant and optimistic about returning to his early-season form.

“No, no, no. I'm fully focused on my job. I'm fully focused on getting the performance out of myself, the form that I know where I can be. I've been in this business for long enough so I exactly know what to do and how to turn things around. I will not give up. I will turn this one around," he stated. "Like I said, I have a contract with the team and I will turn things around. It's not something that distracts me or anything like that. It's done and dusted. I just want to get back to my form, and focus on the important things."

In response to Perez’s poor starting position, Red Bull decided to take strategic measures by installing new power unit components in his car, which led to a start from the pitlane during the race. This was part of a broader technical adjustment aimed at salvaging what could be managed under the circumstances.