F1 News: Sergio Perez Deflects Full Blame For Issues As He Breaks Silence On Red Bull Exit Rumors

Saajan Jogia | Dec 6, 2024

Sergio Perez of Mexico and Oracle Red Bull Racing prepares to drive in the garage during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 30, 2023 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) / Red Bull Content Pool

Red Bull driver Sergio Perez has opened up on the rumors surrounding his potential Red Bull exit after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, confirming that he has a contract with Red Bull until the end of next year and that he is here to stay. Considering the drop in performance this season, Perez took responsibility for the present situation but emphasized that he was not the only one to blame.

As the 2024 Formula 1 season nears its conclusion, speculation surrounding Perez's future intensifies. Rumors of his potential exit gain traction ahead of a crucial post-Abu Dhabi GP meeting at Red Bull, where decisions regarding the driver lineup for both Red Bull Racing and its sister team, VCARB, will be finalized.

Perez has endured a challenging season, with his last podium finish coming in April at the Chinese Grand Prix, where he secured third place. What initially appeared to be a dip in the Mexican driver's form was later revealed after the summer break to stem from balance issues with Red Bull's RB20 car—problems that even Max Verstappen began to face.

While the Dutchman eventually recovered after facing a tough challenge from McLaren's Lando Norris in the Drivers' Standings, securing his fourth world title in Las Vegas, Perez, on the other hand, never managed to achieve a consistent recovery. His performance continued to dwindle, culminating in a spin during last weekend's race in Qatar, which caused a clutch failure and resulted in a DNF.

Amid speculation that he will either be replaced by Yuki Tsunoda or Liam Lawson, Perez insisted that he would remain at Red Bull next year, and hinted that he isn't entirely responsible for the drop in performance this season. He said:

"Nothing has changed in terms of what I've said for the entire year, I've got a contract for next year and I will be driving for Red Bull next year, there is nothing further to add.

"For sure, I have seen the rumours, but I will do nothing different to the last couple of months, so in that regard, there is nothing further to what I've already said in the last six months. 

"I am here, I renewed with the team earlier in the year and I'm here to be the driver for the team next year, I know the season hasn't been the greatest, but at the end of the day, there is a reason why they renewed me and they know I can still do it. 

"Of course I take responsibility, but I don't feel like it is fully down to one person.

"I'm obviously part of a big organisation, a big team and it is very unfortunate that we did not fight any harder for the constructors'."