SUMMARY
- Sergio Perez's future with Red Bull has been in doubt for the last few months.
- The Mexican driver is still yet to sign a new contract extension with Red Bull.
Sergio Perez was tipped to be a talent to look out for when he was at Racing Point a few years ago. He won the Sakhir Grand Prix that year and instantly exploded onto the scene. But it has gone downhill for the Mexican since then, as he has failed to keep up with the pace of his teammate, the great Max Verstappen. This is one of the reasons why Perez’s future is still in doubt.
His current contract with Red Bull ends in 2024, and he remains without a team for the 2025 season. Perez has failed to deliver for Red Bull, and Helmut Marko is far from happy. The Red Bull director recently said to Austrian outlet OE23, “As long as Checo is in as good a form as he is now and he comes with reasonable conditions for an extension, there’s really nothing to be said against him.”
Marko then clarified what the issue with the negotiations is all about. “In fact, he even brings Mexican sponsors with him. His demands are more about the duration of the contract.” The Austrian’s comments indicate that Perez is looking for a team that can commit to him and provide him with a secure future in Formula 1. That hasn’t been the case with RB, as there have always been rumors about his departure.
Sergio Perez has given up trying to catch Max Verstappen, says Helmut Marko
Verstappen already has four race wins to his name this year, and it’s just been five races in. That speaks at length about his dominance in Formula 1 right now, as the Dutchman continues to prove that this is his era. Apart from the obvious effects his dominance has on the Red Bull team, it must be mentioned that he has completely overshadowed his teammate as well.
Every record Max Verstappen broke this weekend:
1. 5 Pole positions in a row in a single season (First in 25 years)
2. Won 50% of all F1 races since last Chinese GP
3. 26 wins in 26 different F1 circuits
4. 100th pole position for Red Bull Racing #MaxVerstappen #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/DG9CO4fsrG— Sportsmanor (@sports_manor) April 21, 2024
Perez has come under heavy scrutiny over the last few months after failing to catch Verstappen, even after trying multiple set-ups and strategies. This has caused the driver to take steps backward as well. However, Marko recently mentioned that Red Bull’s number two has given up on trying to keep up with his fellow teammate.
Marko wrote on Speedweek, “By this, I also mean that in 2023 he almost desperately went his own way when it came to voting if the speed wasn’t right. So he tried to get closer to Max in a technical way with a different set-up. He has given that up.”
Without a doubt, Verstappen is currently on a different level. It would take a lot for any driver to beat him to the finish line, as well as the wet conditions where Verstappen has struggled on multiple occasions in his career.
Carlos Sainz to replace Perez?
Marko admitted a few weeks ago that RB was holding contract negotiations with Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard is also without a team for the 2025 season, and he will surely be replaced by 7-time champion Lewis Hamilton.
Red Bull currently in talks with with Carlos Sainz 👀🏁 pic.twitter.com/hTabLfIOiV
— SPORF (@Sporf) April 23, 2024
Marko told Kleine Zeitung, “We’re talking to him. He’s having his strongest season in Formula 1. But he has a very lucrative offer from Audi that we can’t match or beat, but we still know him from the Toro Rosso days. Even back then, he drove with Max. But it really hurt him back then when we at Red Bull signed Verstappen and not him.”
Since leaving Toro Rosso, Sainz has developed massively and has become one of the best drivers on the grid. It is a surprise that RB might be turning to Sainz over Perez, considering the latter boasts more race wins to his name. However, it could be the fact that RB is looking for a driver who could complement their setup well, which Perez is not completely fulfilling right now.