Red Bull Senior Advisor Draws A Bold Line On Sergio Perez's Future

Saajan Jogia | Oct 5, 2024

May 4, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Red Bull Racing driver Sergio Perez (11) reacts on the grid after the F1 Sprint Race at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images / John David Mercer-Imagn Images

Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko has revealed an ultimatum on Sergio Perez's Red Bull future days after junior team VCARB's driver Daniel Ricciardo was ousted after the Singapore Grand Prix on performance grounds.

Perez has endured a difficult season thus far, often becoming a target for his underwhelming performance after he stopped finishing in the top three positions following the Chinese Grand Prix. While one reason was recently attributed to the RB20 F1 car's balance problems, which came to light after the summer break, Perez was often blamed for having poor form.

The Mexican driver secured a contract extension for two years with Red Bull in June, securing his seat for the rest of the season despite continuous speculation of his exit from the team. However, what followed after the first five Grands Prix caused rumors of his ousting to resurface in the media.

Max Verstappen played a key role in maintaining Red Bull's lead in the Constructors' Championship, but McLaren ultimately claimed the top spot after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Red Bull might have held onto its position had Perez delivered stronger performances throughout the season. Now, with only six races remaining, the 34-year-old faces mounting pressure to step up and deliver.

Marko revealed that Perez's lack of consistency in performance has been affecting Red Bull the most. He told RTL/ntv and sport.de, as reported by PlanetF1:

“Perez has fluctuations, we know that.

“Especially when the car is modified at short notice, it takes him longer to adapt. That is certainly one factor why McLaren is currently stronger than us in terms of driver pairings.

“In terms of speed, he can do it. He just has fluctuations that are becoming more and more unpredictable.”

Speaking on Perez's Red Bull future, the 81-year-old suggested that a place is guaranteed in Formula 1 only if one performs. He added:

“There is only a guarantee in Formula 1 sport if you perform accordingly."

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner recently said during the F1 Nation podcast that nothing changes in 2025 if Perez finds his form. The team will continue to assess his and Liam Lawson's performance, who replaced Ricciardo recently. When Horner was asked to reveal the bigger picture regarding VCARB and Red Bull, he said:

“No, this goes beyond VCARB.

“It encompasses Red Bull Racing.

“Obviously, we’ve got a contract with Sergio for next year, but you’ve always got to have an eye out in terms of what comes next? And, you know, is that going to be Liam? Or do we need to look outside the pool? Or will one of the other juniors step up in the fullness of time? Whether it’s Isack Hadjar or Arvid Lindblad.”

When asked about what would be the perfect scenario for 2025, he said:

“That obviously Checo [Sergio Perez] finds his form and rediscovers the shape that he was in at the beginning of the year and nothing changes."