Rumors have been circulating for the past few days and now it’s official: Sergio Pérez is leaving Red Bull, marking what appears to be the end of his Formula 1 career.
Midway through the year, the Mexican driver extended his contract until the end of 2026. However, despite this stability, his results have been disappointing, failing to deliver the expected performances.
In 2021, Pérez played a crucial role in securing Max Verstappen’s first championship and, last year, contributed to another title for Red Bull – also helping the team achieve its first 1-2 finish in the drivers’ standings .
This year, however, his decline in performance has been evident and there have been no signs of recovery. Until the Miami GP, Pérez was regularly fighting for podiums and seemed to have what it took to keep his place.
But when the RB20 stopped being the dominant car it was at the start of the year, the #11 car struggled considerably, never returning to podium contention. His best result was a sixth place.
These results fell well short of Red Bull’s expectations and may have cost the team the Constructors’ Championship, with Red Bull finishing third overall. Pérez himself finished the season eighth in the Drivers’ Championship and was even overtaken by VCARB drivers – including Liam Lawson, who is widely considered the leading candidate to replace him.
On Bernardo Matias
