The big Milton Keynes pow wow is happening today, and it’s all about the future of Sergio Perez. Dr. Helmut Marko has flown in to join Christian Horner for a crucial meeting. With Perez’s seat on the line, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
In Hungary, Marko confirmed an exit clause in Perez’s contract. If Perez is over 100 points behind Verstappen by the summer break, he could be out. The gap now? A whopping 146 points. “All Formula 1 contracts have exit clauses, most related to performance,” Marko told the media.
This isn’t looking good for Perez, who has dropped from 2nd to 8th place in the standings. His form has plummeted; just eight races ago, he was only 33 points behind Verstappen. Now, he’s scored just 28 points in those races. Meanwhile, McLaren is closing in on Red Bull in the team championship, shrinking the gap to just 42 points.
As if the pressure wasn’t enough, rumors are swirling about a shootout test between Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson at Monza this week. The test will use a two-year-old RB18, with whoever performs best likely getting the seat after the summer break.
Interestingly, Max Verstappen has fueled the Ricciardo rumors by posting a video of them leaving Spa Francorchamps together. Ricciardo has been racing well, earning a top-10 finish at Spa, which boosted his stock further. Meanwhile, Perez’s mid-season collapse makes his hold on the seat even more precarious.
Christian Horner is desperate for Red Bull to secure their seventh team title. Losing ground to McLaren is not an option. Ricciardo’s past success with Red Bull, including a Grand Prix win at Monza, makes him a strong contender. However, Horner is in favor of promoting Ricciardo without the shootout test.
Lastly, there’s the junior driver angle. Marko has been talking up Red Bull’s junior drivers like Lawson, Isaac Haadjar, and Arvin Lindblad. The youngsters could play a role in Red Bull’s strategy moving forward. If Perez is out, it might open the door for a fresh face in the team.
The meeting today between Marko and Horner is set to decide Perez’s fate. Will he stay and fight to regain his form, or will a new driver take his place? The F1 world is holding its breath, waiting to see how this dramatic story unfolds.
Today’s meeting in Milton Keynes will be a defining moment for Sergio Perez’s future with Red Bull. With a potential shootout at Monza looming and Red Bull under pressure to maintain their team title, the stakes have never been higher.
