Sergio Pérez’s adventure with Red Bull has come to an end. Team boss Christian Horner reveals that it was the Mexican’s own decision to leave the racing stable, following a disappointing season and an eighth-place finish in the drivers’ championship. However, the focus immediately shifts to 2025. According to the Brit, either Yuki Tsunoda or Liam Lawson will be Max Verstappen’s new teammate.
During his time as a Red Bull driver, Pérez claimed victory five times, and helped the racing stable win the constructors’ championship on multiple occasions. Horner praises Pérez for his achievements, but at the same time reveals that the Mexican saw the writing on the wall after the Abu Dhabi GP. “We had a conversation last week about the next step for Pérez, and he decided to take a step back,” the team boss tells Sky Sports. “It’s time for him to reflect on what he wants to do in the future.”
The gap between Pérez and teammate Max Verstappen was ultimately 285 points in the drivers’ standings, almost double the number of points the Mexican did manage to score in 2024. According to Horner, Pérez lost his form partly due to the capricious RB20. “He struggled with the RB20, and that naturally put even more pressure on him. The more you try, the slower you go. He got caught in a vicious circle,” says Horner. “And that hurt our chances in the constructors’ championship.
Tsunoda or Lawson: The Successor to Pérez
Even though the Mexican driver has just left the Red Bull camp, the focus immediately shifts to his successor. Team principal Horner is not yet revealing who will take Pérez’s seat. “We have all the information we need,” the team boss cryptically states. “Ultimately, it will be a choice between Yuki (Tsunoda) and Liam (Lawson). We recently tested Yuki Tsunoda in Abu Dhabi, and Liam has also undergone many tests. He performed exceptionally well in his six or seven races this year. We will make our choice in the coming days.”
Does Horner regret not signing Carlos Sainz, who has since been secured by Williams? “Carlos is a fantastic driver, but you have to consider all the criteria.” According to the team boss, Pérez was performing as expected at the time when Sainz did not yet have a team for 2025. “When we extended Checo’s contract, he was still second in the drivers’ championship, and he was still finishing on the podium.”
