Red Bull will hold a crucial meeting on Monday right after the Belgian Grand Prix to decide Sergio Perez’s Formula 1 future, says motorsport advisor Helmut Marko.
Despite signing a fresh contract at the start of the summer, Perez has struggled to keep up. Since the Shanghai round, he has only scored 21 points compared to teammate Max Verstappen’s 129 points and three wins.
Red Bull has always planned to have a ‘quiet discussion’ about their driver lineup after the summer break, according to CEO Peter Bayer. Perez’s contract has a performance clause which could see him released if he doesn’t stay within 100 points of Verstappen’s total. Right now, he’s 141 points behind and can’t bridge the gap even with a win and the fastest lap at Spa.
If Red Bull decides to part ways with Perez, his replacement will likely be Daniel Ricciardo, Liam Lawson, or Yuki Tsunoda. Meanwhile, Ricciardo is also feeling pressure, as he’s at risk of being dropped in favor of Lawson if not promoted to the main team.
Ahead of qualifying, Marko spoke to Red Bull’s TV channel, saying, ‘Sergio knows that for the constructors’ championship we have to have both cars ahead of McLaren if possible, and that hasn’t been the case in the last few races.’
Marko also said Perez’s goal for the Spa weekend is to win both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships and that they would discuss the best way to achieve that on Monday.
In another interview, Marko emphasized Verstappen’s skill, saying the qualifying session showed that ‘Max is absolutely the best, especially in these conditions.’ He noted that McLaren wasn’t strong in the wet, suggesting a better starting position for the race.
Marko did acknowledge that Perez has improved, particularly now that he will start on the front row. However, he also pointed out, ‘We don’t need the lows. We can only live with that with difficulty.’
Regardless of the outcome, it seems this meeting will be a defining moment for Sergio Perez’s future with Red Bull.
With the stakes high and performances under scrutiny, Red Bull’s decision on Monday could lead to significant changes in their driver lineup. Stay tuned to see how it unfolds.
