Sergio Perez’s F1 career could be nearing its end, as Red Bull is actively considering potential replacements. The Mexican racer’s sinusoidal career graph has made things hard for his team. In 2023 Red Bull’s unicorn season, he was miles apart from Max Verstappen, finishing 300 points behind his teammate. However, he still managed to hang on to the second position, helping RBR to lift the Constructors Cup. This was the reason his Red Bull contract was extended for two years.
Sadly, the 34-year-racer has failed to capitalize on the opportunities, putting his team in reverse gear. While some of his struggles could be attributed to RB20’s technical woes, that still doesn’t justify his seventh position on Drivers Cup standings. Therefore, the Milton Keynes-based outfit has no choice but to look for an alternative. After the Austin GP, Helmut Marko recently discussed Checo’s F1 future with Red Bull, hinting towards a premature exit.
Sergio Perez’s F1 Destiny Determined By Performance As Marko Declares The Sport A “Meritocracy”
“Perez may have a contract, but Formula 1 is a meritocracy. If the performance isn’t right, even contracts are useless,” said Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko. “Meritocracy” is the sole criterion for being a Red Bull driver. However, why has Sergio Perez struggled to make the cut? According to PlanetF1, Checo’s Red Bull seat was under a serious threat after his Belgium GP crash. The team considered revoking the performance clause, as the Mexican racer trailed his teammate by more than 100 points. Surprisingly, the Austria outfit retained Perez for the remainder of 2024.
Perez dismissed the rumors that RBR would bid him farewell at the Mexican GP in front of his home crowd, claiming to be an integral part of the team. On the other hand, Liam Lawson consistently knocks on Red Bull’s door with his solid performance. Amid all the commotion, Helmut Marko has confirmed that Red Bull will reconsider Checo’s place for the next season. He stated that his exiting contract won’t alter the team’s decision. The Austrian executive is a strong advocate for Red Bull academy drivers and has consistently championed the inclusion of fresh faces. Thus, he claimed that contracts are useless in F1, as it all boils down to performance.
The senior advisor said the team would sit down at the end of the season and take the final call. However, during an interaction with Sports German recently, the 84-year-old executive turned down the rumors of Checo’s retirement and advised the Mexican racer to improve his performance. Therefore, amid all the chatter, Red Bull’s final decision will decide the course of Perez’s F1 career.
Liam Lawson Inching Towards A Red Bull Promotion
On the other hand, Liam Lawson has emerged as the Red Bull favorite to become Max Verstappen’s teammate. After the recent COTA showdown, team boss Christian Horner praised the young New Zealander for giving the tough competition to a world champion like Fernando Alonso.
Horner applauded Lawson’s courage, highlighting his consistent pace throughout the weekend. Earlier, Helmut Marko also praised Lawson for being an exceptional racing talent. Thus, if a coin were to be tossed for the Red Bull seat, it could very well land in Liam Lawson’s favor.