Sergio Perez’s time at Red Bull Racing seems to be drawing to a detailed, with ESPN reporting on Monday that the veteran driver is about to go away the staff on the finish of this season.
Currently sitting in eighth place within the Formula One standings, Perez’s efficiency has been a far cry from expectations.
With one race left within the 2024 calendar, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday, Perez has but to safe a victory this yr.
His 4 podium finishes got here early, with all of them occurring throughout the first 5 races of the season.
The 34-year-old’s struggles have been laid naked after he completed seventeenth on the Qatar Grand Prix, a outcome that has raised additional questions on his future at Red Bull.
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s staff principal, spoke candidly about Perez’s scenario following the Qatar race. “I’m going to let Checo come to his own conclusions; nobody’s forcing him one way or another,” Horner stated, acknowledging the powerful circumstances for Perez. “It’s not a nice situation for him to obviously be in.”
Despite signing a contract extension for 2025 earlier this yr, Perez’s future with the staff seems to be unsure.
ESPN experiences that whereas he cannot be dismissed outright because of the contract, he may very well be moved into an ambassadorial position ought to he select to stay with Red Bull in a lowered capability.
Since becoming a member of Red Bull in 2021, Perez has skilled each highs and lows.
He has earned six wins and 39 podium finishes since his F1 debut in 2011, together with his most up-to-date victory coming within the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
However, this season has been notably underwhelming. Perez has not seen a podium end since April, and his finest lead to current months was a pair of second-place finishes early within the season.
Perez has scored simply 152 factors this yr, a stark distinction to teammate Max Verstappen’s 429 factors. While Verstappen clinched his fourth consecutive Drivers’ Championship, Perez’s outcomes have been extra inconsistent, with simply 28 factors from the previous 10 races.
The stress has been mounting for Perez, particularly with hypothesis about his future with Red Bull intensifying after every disappointing race.
Despite these challenges, Perez remained resolute after the Qatar Grand Prix, expressing optimism for the long run. “Sometimes things don’t go your way. We’re still here and optimistic that we can turn things around as a team, especially for next year,” he stated.
As for Perez’s subsequent transfer, the most certainly substitute for him seems to be New Zealand’s Liam Lawson.
Other choices embrace Argentine rookie Franco Colapinto, though a collection of crashes at Williams has weakened his case.
Red Bull additionally has rising star Isack Hadjar, who’s contending for the F2 title, and should go for him alongside Yuki Tsunoda ought to Lawson be promoted.
The last race in Abu Dhabi might mark the tip of an period for Perez at Red Bull, with an official announcement anticipated quickly after the season wraps up.
Source: www.dailysabah.com