Red Bull Racing once again witnessed an underwhelming weekend at the Hungarian Grand Prix as Max Verstappen finished P5, with Sergio Perez settling for P7. While Max’s race was ruined due to bad strategy and a relatively slower RB20, Checo shot himself in the foot with an abysmal qualifying session.
Sergio Perez crashed in Q1 of the qualifying round and was forced to start the race from P17. However, he had a great recovery and finished P7 on Sunday. But with Checo’s form on a decline, his future with Red Bull is hanging by a thread and Helmut Marko assured that a decision on second seat is imminent.
Red Bull To Terminate Sergio Perez’s Extension Contract?
The end of the road appears to be near for Sergio Perez as Red Bull Racing have lost their patience following another debacle in the Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying session. While he recovered during the main race on Sunday, Checo continues to drop points for his team in the constructors championship. Interestingly, RB prematurely awarded Checo with a two-year extension contract last month with a view that future certainty would boost his confidence for the rest of the year. However, shortly after, Perez’s season went from bad to worse. And now, reports state that his extension contract induces a performance clause that could lead to a termination if the demands are not met.
Moreover, Red Bull senior Helmut Marko recently confirmed that the team will hold official discussions on Sergio Perez’s future. He told OE24 that Checo is self-aware of where he stands, and he knows that his seat guarantee will depend solely on his performance. Not only that, Marko confirmed that he will fly out to London after the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix to attend a meeting that will determine Checo’s future with the team. “On Monday after Spa, I will fly to the UK and discuss the procedure with Christian Horner,” Marko said. On the contrary, Sergio Perez squashed the rumours leading upto the Hungarian Grand Prix. He found the speculations over his future baffling and affirmed that the next few races won’t define anything. However, Marko appears to be suggesting something completely different. Overall, the whole situation is a mess for Red Bull, and they must resolve things quickly to bring stability.
Helmut Marko To Stay Until 2026!
Meanwhile, a recent revelation suggests that Helmut Marko has committed long-term to Red Bull and he is likely to adhere to his contract which expires in 2026. Team principal Christian Horner confirmed the same saying he never had a doubt on Marko’s loyalties. “Things are better now, yes. That is quite positive,” Horner said.
Interestingly, owing to an internal political turmoil, Helmut Marko was close to being fired before Max Verstappen stepped in and threatened to leave with Marko. Hence, Christian Horner took a step forward and called a truce with the senior advisor in order to safeguard Verstappen’s interest. Hence, any major changes are unlikely at Red Bull expect for Adrian Newey’s departure in 2025.
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