Red Bull appears to be seriously considering moving on with Sergio Pérez at the end of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship season.
Sergio Pérez, although under contract until 2026, sees his place alongside Max Verstappen increasingly threatened, particularly with the rise of Liam Lawson. Despite Pérez recently signing for two more years, his future at Red Bull is far from assured.
A contract under pressure
Despite the signed agreement, Pérez’s position has always been uncertain. Rumors have been circulating about his replacement for months, and that pressure is intensifying as Lawson, Daniel Ricciardo’s replacement at Racing Bulls, makes a strong impression.
The young New Zealand driver was lined up against Yuki Tsunoda and immediately showed his potential, notably during the Sprint of the United States Grand Prix in Austin.
Dr Helmut Marko, F1 consultant at Red Bull, confirmed that Pérez is now on borrowed time: “Pérez has a contract for 2025, but it depends on his performance. In Formula 1, it’s competition that takes precedence, that’s why Ricciardo was replaced.”
These words from Marko clearly suggest that the team’s patience with Pérez could soon run out.
A growing gap with Verstappen
If Pérez had managed to raise his level of play at the start of the season, taking advantage of the difficulties encountered by Verstappen with the 2024 car, things have changed. Verstappen quickly regained the upper hand, and the gap with his teammate became obvious. During qualifying in Austin, this gap was almost a second, a chasm for Red Bull.
Marko did not hide his disappointment at the end of the Sprint contested Saturday morning in Austin: “Checo gained a place, but it’s not what we expected. The gap with Max was huge. We are not blind.”
His comments confirm that Red Bull is growing impatient with Pérez’s inconsistent performances, despite his recent progress.
Liam Lawson, the growing threat
Meanwhile, Lawson continues to gain credibility. Marko was very complimentary of the young talent, especially after his performances in free practice and qualifying: “Liam was excellent, especially for his first time on this circuit. He was up to par, even faster than Tsunoda. His lap in Q1 was impressive.”
Marko’s enthusiasm for Lawson is palpable, to the point of opening the door for him to a future alongside Verstappen: “If Lawson continues this way, he could be Max’s teammate in 2025.”
Lawson’s current performances, coupled with Pérez’s mixed results, therefore leave serious doubts about the Mexican driver’s future at Red Bull. If Pérez fails to turn things around quickly, he could well see his contract cut short and Lawson take his place sooner than expected.
Red Bull will not hesitate to do what it takes to maximize its chances of success, and that could include a driver change before 2025.
