Sergio Perez’s future at Red Bull Racing and in Formula 1 appears increasingly uncertain after another disappointing performance, this time at the Qatar Grand Prix.
Perez’s sprint race crash on Saturday not only damaged his car but also sealed teammate Max Verstappen’s third consecutive drivers’ title, as Verstappen qualified poorly in 13th place.
During the main race on Sunday, Perez struggled with repeated violations of ‘track limits,’ earning him just a single point.
Now, Perez’s second-place position in the drivers’ championship is under threat from Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who is only 30 points behind with five races remaining.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner expressed the need to discuss Perez’s recent struggles, saying, “I think we need to talk to him (Perez) to understand what happened.”
Perez explained his difficulties, stating, “For me, it was difficult to judge where exactly the limits of the track were. It all seems like a joke to come out and modify everything at the last minute like this,” referring to last-minute track alterations due to kerb issues.
Expressing his frustration, Perez added, “It was a poor weekend, and I am very disappointed for having failed my team.”
Horner affirmed Red Bull’s support for Sergio, saying, “He had a tough race and a very tough weekend, and we will continue to give him our full support. He’s still second in the drivers’ standings, but he urgently needs to get back into shape.”
Although Perez has a contract with Red Bull Racing for 2024, there are hints that the team may reconsider its options.
Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, Dr. Helmut Marko, suggested, “He has to get out of this negative spiral. There were fast laps in between, but it doesn’t help with all these penalties.”
Many pundits believe Sergio should be concerned about his seat, but the alternatives might not be ready for the job.
Former world champion Nico Rosberg stated, “I think if an alternative were on the market now, he would be replaced, but he’s too far away right now. It’s extreme.”
The challenge, Rosberg explained, is that potential alternatives to Perez may not be prepared for the role, making it a risky move.
Marko, known for his role in Red Bull’s driver decisions, is putting additional pressure on Sergio. He highlighted the significant gap in performance and the potential risk to second place in the world championship.
Regarding Perez’s 2024 contract, Marko emphasized, “In general, we want to implement the contractual situation, which lasts until 2024. And that’s entirely up to him now.”
However, Marko also mentioned the presence of three promising drivers at AlphaTauri, suggesting that the team might explore other options.
