Sergio Perez is at risk of losing his Red Bull seat, with the 34-year-old failing to perform at the required level. Despite recently extending his contract with the Austrian team, Perez’s results have put his position under threat. If there is no significant improvement before the summer break, Red Bull will consider alternatives.
Red Bull unhappy with Perez’s performance
Driving alongside Max Verstappen is no easy task, as many of the Dutchman’s teammates have learned. However, the leeway that Red Bull has afforded Perez because of Verstappen’s calibre is not limitless. Perez has only scored 11 points in the last five rounds, a tally comparable to other drivers in the midfield.
In fact, Nico Hulkenberg – performing as well as anyone in the midfield – has scored 18 points in the same period. It goes without saying that Red Bull did not expect Perez to be outscored by a Haas when they extended his deal.
There has been plenty of speculation about the 6-time race winner’s contract having performance clauses that, in theory, could see him replaced this summer.
Helmut Marko reveals mid-season assessment
In typical fashion, Helmut Marko spoke bluntly about Perez’s contract:
“All Formula 1 contracts have exit clauses, most of them related to performance – or let’s say for the top driers,” he told Grandprix 247.
“As I mentioned before, we will have an evaluation during the summer break – and then we will make a decision.”
The saving grace for Sergio Perez, as opposed to his performance, could be Red Bull’s reluctance to consider alternatives. More specifically, the reluctance of team principal Christian Horner.
It is now well-established that the 50-year-old is not especially confident in Yuki Tsunoda’s abilities. Despite the Japanese driver consistently outperforming several teammates since 2023, Horner seems uninterested in giving him a Red Bull seat.
Instead, Horner would prefer to give Ricciardo the chance of a promotion. However, the 8-time race winner is not performing at a level that could justify a promotion to the main team alongside Max Verstappen.
Were Helmut Marko solely responsible for the decision-making process, Tsunda would likely have already been promoted. Meanwhile, Liam Lawson would have also been given a contract with VCARB.
As it stands, predicting the decisions taken at Milton Keynes is still extremely tricky. The next two rounds before the summer break, though a small sample size, could be decisive.
Sergio Perez urgently needs to step up. For the other drivers in the Red Bull setup, their futures are contingent on whether the team’s senior personnel can agree on a common direction.
