Red Bull has finally made a decision regarding Sergio Pérez. It was announced on Wednesday that the Mexican driver will be relieved of his duties. After a disappointing season, speculation about his future with the team had been rife. Compared to teammate Max Verstappen, the situation simply seemed untenable. It is now clear that Pérez will not be allowed to fulfill his new two-year contract. His successor has not yet been announced.
Following the Abu Dhabi GP, Red Bull’s top brass convened to discuss Sergio Pérez’s future. The 34-year-old driver had signed a new contract in the summer, securing his place with the Austrian racing team until 2026. However, this did not have the desired effect. The certainty of a seat did not translate into better results. On the contrary, Pérez continued to underperform, to the point where he even struggled to qualify in the top ten. Therefore, the new contract is being completely dissolved.
It is clear that it comes as no surprise that Pérez – after a period of four years – is being sacrificed. Many experts had written him off after the summer. Red Bull, which in the past often showed drivers the door much earlier, however, gave him the benefit of the doubt. This resulted in a disastrous season. The Mexican often failed to make it past Q1 in qualifications and finished out of the points on multiple occasions. In the last eight races, he scored only nine points. For comparison: Max Verstappen collected a whopping 134 points in the same period.
The Eternal Second Fiddle
In 2021, Red Bull recruited Sergio Pérez to replace Alexander Albon. After the relatively competitive 2020 season, the Austrians were looking for a stable factor that could help them and Max Verstappen secure titles. With a spectacular victory at the Sakhir Grand Prix, Checo, who had previously been ruthlessly dismissed from the then Racing Point, caught their attention. Thus, the Mexican, known at the time as a reliable point scorer, became Max Verstappen’s new teammate.
Red Bull’s gamble quickly paid off. Pérez accepted his role as Verstappen’s second fiddle and helped the Dutchman secure his first Formula 1 title. In 2022, he hoped to make a run for the championship himself, with victories in Monaco and Singapore. However, a resurgent Max Verstappen quickly put him in his place. In 2023, history repeated itself; Pérez started off hopeful with victories in Saudi Arabia and Baku, but his title ambitions were soon nipped in the bud. Consequently, the second half of the season saw a decline in his performance, a trend that has continued even more strongly this year.
