As Formula One approaches its fourteenth round in Belgium, the Red Bull team faces several pressing questions. Following the Belgian Grand Prix, teams will enter a summer break, offering a chance to reassess their strategies. One of the main concerns for the current leaders, Red Bull Racing, is finalizing their driver lineup.
In a bold mid-season move, the team decided to retain Sergio Perez. The intention was to stabilize the team, but the plan seems to have backfired. The Mexican driver has struggled to find his rhythm, putting the team’s championship aspirations at risk. However, despite consistent shoddy performances, Checo is confident of staying with the Red Bull team.
Sergio Perez Confident Of His Red Bull Seat, Reveals His Sole Focus Is To Win Races
McLaren’s recent 1-2 finish in the Hungary GP has aggravated Red Bull’s second-driver woes. While Max Verstappen is putting everything on the line to win races, his partner Checo struggles to score points. As a result, Horner & co. had to take the hard call. Practically, the best option for the Austria-based squad is to back Perez’s experience and let him do his things. However, a few names on the grid could force the team to make a risky decision. Also, Helmut Marko recently opened up about Checo’s exit clause.
Helmut Marko said that all F1 contracts have an exit clause. He also noted that it depends on performance or includes an extra provision. However, the top RBR advisor stated that management will ultimately decide during the summer vacation. He then spoke openly about probable replacements for Sergio Perez.
Whereas Perez affirmed that the Belgian GP won’t be his last race for Red Bull. As quoted by Motorsport-Total.com, Checo said the team believes in his racing capabilities. He emphasized his contract terms, noting that there is no ‘exit clause’ that would allow the team to terminate his contract mid-season. Currently, the Mexican driver has a two-year contract with the Milton Keyens-based outfit. Thus, despite several options being available, RBR management would probably continue with Perez, hoping for a favorable outcome.
Sergio Perez Hopeful Of A Turnaround
This isn’t the first time Checo has struggled to perform. In 2023, he had a similar situation, failing to qualify throughout the season. However, due to Red Bull’s superior performance, he was able to change things around. On the other hand, this season has been the complete opposite in terms of RBR domination.
Since the team is struggling, they’re not in a state to help Checo. Despite this struggle, Perez refuses to give up, as he is hopeful for a turnaround. He affirmed that the team is really working hard, as they are desperate to score more points.