F1 News: Red Bull Doubles Down on Sergio Perez After Daniel Ricciardo Exit

Alex Harrington | Sep 28, 2024

Jun 8, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Red Bull Racing driver Sergio Perez (MEX) in the pit lane at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images / Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

Red Bull has doubled down on its commitment to Sergio Perez amidst a turbulent 2024 Formula 1 season, reinforced by Daniel Ricciardo's departure. Despite facing substantial scrutiny over his performance, Perez retains his seat, backed by a team that believes in his potential to turn the tide in the remaining races.

Throughout the 2024 season, Perez has been under the microscope, particularly when juxtaposed with his dominant teammate, Max Verstappen, and the formidable drivers of rival teams who haven't always had cars as fast as the RB20. His struggles have been distinctly apparent in both qualifying sessions and race finishes, raising questions about his capacity to contribute significantly to Red Bull’s constructors' championship bid - a lead they've recently just lost to McLaren.

The Milton Keynes team's decision to continue supporting Perez, rather than seeking a mid-season replacement as they have done with Daniel Ricciardo, shows the need to have stability instead of reactive changes.

Perez's recent race results paint a picture of the challenges he's faced. At the Singapore Grand Prix, he managed to qualify only 13th and finished in 10th, securing a single point. His performance in Azerbaijan was marred by a last-lap clash with Carlos Sainz while vying for a podium position, ultimately resulting in no points despite it being his best performance so far this season.

Christian Horner, Red Bull's Team Principal, has both acknowledged Perez’s frustrations and expressed optimism for the rest of the season.

"He had a good first lap, he got his elbows out and made a couple of decent passes. But then he got stuck. He struggled with traction. He couldn’t get off the corners where he needed to, to get into an overtaking position. It was frustrating for him.

"But he got a point out of it, and they will all add up at the end of the season. When you hunt in a pair, it’s always going to be easier," Horner said after the Singapore GP.

He remained hopeful for Perez’s future performances, especially with a substantial upgrade planned for the Austin Grand Prix weekend.

“Hopefully some of the tracks coming up… some of the upgrades that I hope we will bring over the next few races… there are big races for Checo, and for the team.”

Yet, the critical evaluations from experts like Sky Sports analyst Jamie Chadwick are hard to ignore.

"The drab points haul of Red Bull’s second driver was cited as the key reason that they will lose out on this season’s constructors' championship," Chadwick noted.

As the season progresses, the spotlight on Perez will inevitably intensify even further. His current standing—eighth in the drivers' championship, trailing notably behind Verstappen and drivers from Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes—suggests a significant performance gap that Red Bull is eager to close. The upcoming races and the reported upgrades will be crucial for Perez to demonstrate his true potential and for Red Bull to regain their standing in the championship battle and trust in their driver.