Something remarkable happened in Formula One land this week, shaking things up at Red Bull Racing. Despite swirling rumors and high stakes, Red Bull Racing announced at their Milton Keynes debrief that Sergio Perez would be staying on. But that’s not all—Daniel Ricciardo is also sticking around, leaving Liam Lawson still waiting in the wings.
Dr. Helmut Marko has been vocal about his desire to see young drivers climb the ranks, often hinting that Ricciardo’s days were numbered. He stated bluntly, “The shareholders have made it clear that this is a junior team and we have to operate accordingly.” However, both Perez and Ricciardo are still in their seats, at least for now.
Marko has never been shy about his criticisms. He remarked, “The goal was that with exceptional performances he [Ricciardo] would be in the frame for Red Bull Racing. That seat now belongs to Sergio Perez, so that plan is void.” This critique didn’t stop there. Christian Horner and Marko have publicly disagreed on driver lineups, leading to some tense back-and-forth.
Recently, Red Bull Racing’s decision-making seemed uncertain. Horner had described Perez’s form as “unsustainable,” while Marko criticized Perez’s drop from P2 to P8 in a recent race, saying, “Sergio had the opportunity to take a good result from second place. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.” Despite all this, no changes were made on Monday.
Rumors have swirled about potential outside influences affecting these decisions. Liberty Media, the commercial rights holder for F1, allegedly leaned on Red Bull to keep Perez due to the commercial benefits of the Mexican Grand Prix. Additionally, Disney, one of Perez’s sponsors, is set to release a Disney+ docuseries on him. The show is titled ‘Checo Perez: ¡No te rindas, c**rón!’ which translates to ‘Don’t give up, mother f***er.’ Perez even says in the trailer, “Reaching Formula 1 as a Mexican, from where I come from and to where I have gotten, is… crazy.”
This documentary is crucial for Disney’s re-launch in Latin America. With McLaren closing in on Red Bull’s lead in the constructors’ title race, however, decisions could still change. Dr. Marko, when asked about it, simply stated, “Perez remains. We want to bring him back to his old form. Ricciardo also remains. Nothing will change.”
Despite the tensions and criticisms, Perez and Ricciardo are both still part of Red Bull Racing. Whether influenced by commercial interests or media spotlight, for now, the lineup remains unchanged. But with McLaren closing in, the situation remains fluid and could change once racing resumes.
While the drama at Red Bull Racing isn’t over, for now, both Perez and Ricciardo can breathe a sigh of relief. Nothing is set in stone in the fast-paced world of Formula One, and whether this decision will hold remains to be seen.
