Sergio Perez has received another vote of confidence this Formula One season. Despite signing a new two-year deal in May to race alongside Max Verstappen, Perez’s recent performance has put him under immense pressure.
Over the last eight Grand Prix weekends, Perez has managed to secure only 28 points, trailing 146 points behind Verstappen. This gap has cut Red Bull’s lead over McLaren to just 42 points. Dr. Helmut Marko revealed there is a clause in Perez’s contract allowing the team to dismiss him if he fails to meet certain standards.
Given the circumstances, many were shocked that Perez was retained, although his loyalty to Christian Horner earlier this year likely played a role in the decision. Recent reports also suggest that F1’s commercial rights holders and Disney, which is airing a documentary series on Perez, may have influenced the decision.
The documentary, titled ‘Checo Perez: ¡No te rindas, c**rón!’, is set to be a headline feature as Disney relaunches their Latin American platform. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz, who was released by Ferrari, seemed like a strong candidate for Red Bull’s second seat. Dr. Helmut Marko praised Sainz’s stint with Max Verstappen at Toro Rosso, but Horner preferred to bring back Daniel Ricciardo.
Ricciardo, however, was also under threat as Dr. Marko pushed for Red Bull to revert to a junior driver program team. ‘The shareholders have made it clear it is a junior team and we have to act accordingly,’ said Marko. ‘We will have to put a young driver in there soon. That would be Liam Lawson.’
Even though Ricciardo survived the cut, highly-rated Liam Lawson remains a potential candidate for the future. Williams team boss James Vowles, who recently secured Sainz, believes Red Bull made a mistake in retaining Perez. ‘When you’re in Red Bull’s position, where you’ve got a constructors’ championship at risk, it’s always a hard decision. But yes, I would have Carlos alongside Max,’ he told motorsport.com.
F1oversteer.com reports that Perez’s performance will be reassessed after four more races, following the Singapore Grand Prix. This assessment could determine his future with Red Bull.
The debate extends to other drivers as well. McLaren’s Lando Norris thinks Red Bull may regret not signing Sainz. ‘Honestly, the easy one is just to say Red Bull. He [Sainz] should have gone there in my eyes,’ Norris told Sky F1. ‘Carlos deserves a lot – he is one of the best drivers in Formula One.’
Christian Horner acknowledged that Red Bull’s current driver lineup has backed them into a corner but remains optimistic about the future. ‘We’ve got experience, we’ve got youth. We’ve got Liam in the wings, we’ve got Hadjar doing a super job in F2, and Arvid Lindblad, who I think is a really exciting talent in F3,’ Horner shared with Sky F1.
For now, Horner has resisted the pressure from Dr. Marko to introduce Lawson mid-season. However, Lawson remains a consideration if Red Bull changes their mind about Perez. Red Bull successfully petitioned the FIA to relax the super license rules to lower the minimum age for a new F1 driver, presumably with Lindblad in mind.
Meanwhile, the FIA has updated regulations following an incident involving Carlos Sainz in China. Previously, a driver stopping on track during qualifying would not be allowed to continue. The updated rule now specifies that a driver receiving physical assistance will be disqualified from further participation in the session.
The Formula One paddock remains abuzz with speculation over Perez’s future. With various stakeholders and a pool of young talent waiting in the wings, Red Bull’s next move will be crucial. As the season progresses, all eyes will be on Perez to see if he can secure his position and help Red Bull maintain their championship lead.
