Sergio Perez is entering the final year of his Red Bull contract and faces a make-or-break campaign if he is to retain his seat with the team.
As Sergio Perez approaches the last year of his contract with the defending constructor champions Red Bull, Christian Horner has disclosed that he has had some discussions with drivers who are willing to step in and replace the Mexican for free.
With victories in Baku and Jeddah during the first four rounds of the season, the 33-year-old made a grand entrance into his third campaign with the Red Bull squad.
But soon after, things went south for him as teammate Max Verstappen ended their battle with a record-breaking ten-race winning streak. In 2023, Perez was 290 points behind his teammate when the chequered flag was raised for the last time in Abu Dhabi.
Despite rumors that Daniel Ricciardo of AlphaTauri might replace him, Red Bull decided to stick with their current driver lineup following their first-ever one-two Drivers’ Championship finish.
In response to a question from Sky Sports regarding whether competitors have made offers to take his place for free, akin to what happened with Williams and Ayrton Senna in 1993, Horner said, “There’s been a little bit of that, but there’s no guarantees of anything.” Our driver is named Checo. We hope to retain him through 2025 if he performs well, but it all depends on how he does in comparison to his teammate.”
In an attempt to establish himself as a long-term contender for the second Red Bull seat, Perez will have to contend with fierce competition. The Milton Keynes-based team is well-known for being a fan of Lando Norris, and if Ricciardo continues to put in strong work throughout the 2024 campaign, the Mexican could feel the heat.
Horner clarified, “Checo is a very talented racer and being Max’s teammate is a very tough gig.” “I believe he has demonstrated a great deal of mental toughness to handle that. He must concentrate on Saturday and ensure that his qualifying average is much closer to Max.
“If the grid is going to converge, in particular, we need him to start further up the grid. Between him and Max, we can’t afford to have a lot of cars. The year 2024 is significant. Many drivers’ contracts are about to expire. We have excellent talent within our ranks. Of course, other drivers find the car to be very appealing and want to be in it.”
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