Is 2024 going to be the last year for Sergio Perez driving for Red Bull Racing in Formula 1? Checo’s struggles throughout the season have been well documented, and by no means he looked like a driver who could support Max Verstappen. Red Bull might have clinched the driver’s championship, but they are not in contention when it comes to the Constructor’s title. Star power is certainly good to have, but it amounts to nothing if it can’t function as a unit, and right now Perez does seem to be the odd one out.
It has to be noted that Perez signed a two-year contract extension with Red Bull back in June. While there’s an air of uncertainty surrounding Checo’s future with the team, he is optimistic that he will weather this storm. “There’s a reason why we extended my contract during the year, and the team has everything… So we’re working really hard as a team to come through and get back into a much better season than the one that we just had.” He was quoted saying on Formula 1’s official website.
Well, optimism alone cannot guarantee a driver his seat at the top level of racing. And going by Sergio Perez’s Sprint performance in Qatar, he certainly is testing the patience of the Red Bull Racing team. After a dull sprint qualifying outing on Friday, Perez had to start the Sprint race from the pit lane. But as the light went green, he wasn’t quick on gas. Rather, his race car groggily made a launch. Franco Calopinto, who was behind Perez, seized the opportunity and made an easy pass starting from the pit lane itself.
Needless to say, Perez will need a mighty big improvement in the qualifying and the main event. However, the fans weren’t sold on giving him another chance and highlighted how this was just one of his regular errors that Red Bull would turn a blind eye to after the end of the race weekend.
How long does Sergio Perez have with Red Bull Racing?
Perez started the 2024 season on a high. With four podium finishes in the first five races, he looked to be the real deal. But as F1 shifted to Europe, his team suddenly started to struggle to find speed. And as the season is slowly edging towards its conclusion, his performances have plummeted. He has scored just three points in the last three Grand Prix, and it’s just hard to imagine that Red Bull is willing to put up with this. Reacting to his blunder in Qatar, a fan replied, “Every week is like a new rock bottom now for him, lol.”
“Anything regarding the drivers… We have drivers under contract, and we have drivers with options that remain between the company and the drivers involved.” This was Red Bull team boss Christian Horner’s response to questions about Perez’s future with the team. 252 points is the current difference between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, but despite the clear evidence, it seems like Red Bull is willing to give Checo another opportunity. Making a hypothetical claim, this race fan sarcastically wrote, “I’ve seen enough; give Checo another 2-year extension. Red Bull, probably.”
Interestingly, Perez is among the highest-paid drivers in the F1 paddock. His annual salary is reported to be around $14 million, which excludes bonuses and other variables. But is the cream worth it when his team’s fans are turned up against him? He certainly has become meme material for the rival camps, and they torment him on social media after his mistakes on the track. He certainly has managed to let this trolling and criticism get to his head, but for how long? “If i’m in his shoes, doesn’t matter how much money i’m making i will just retire from F1 after that moment,” a user on Reddit added.
Is there a possibility that Sergio Perez is intentionally trying to jeopardize Red Bull racing? It is indeed hard to say for certain. But, going by this fan’s theory, it looks like Checo has accepted his fate, knowing that he is probably going to be out of the seat for 2025. “Either he knows his seat is gone or that he’ll be fired when his contract runs out.”
American F1 fans, on the other hand, made the most of this blunder by Checo and pitched a hilarious proposal. RCR’s star driver Kyle Busch has also lost his mojo, and his performances in 2024 were perhaps the worst of his racing career. Like Perez, Rowdy was also rumored to jump ships at the end of 2024. And going by this race fan’s comments, he just might be Red Bull’s next driver. “Rumor has Kyle Busch has been in talks with Red Bull, totally a rumor that i just made up but how awesome would that be.”
What are your thoughts on Sergio Perez and his situation at Red Bull? Does he deserve another shot, or does the team need to find his replacement?
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