Sergio Perez’s recent race on home turf in Mexico may have marked one of his final appearances for Red Bull.
Speculation is mounting that the team, having dropped to third place in the constructors’ championship behind McLaren and now Ferrari, may no longer be able to justify Perez’s seat, even with the considerable sponsorship he brings.
Red Bull’s strengthened partnership with AT&T could see Carlos Slim’s Telmex branding removed from the team’s 2025 car. According to De Limburger, the difference between finishing first and third in the championship represents “tens of millions” in revenue.
Following the Mexican Grand Prix, team advisor Dr. Helmut Marko admitted, “We can forget about the constructors’ championship now.”
However, Max Verstappen’s father, Jos, expressed to f1-insider.com that Perez is not the team’s primary concern. He noted, “If they improve the car, which is currently very challenging to drive, then Perez can also move up front and support Max, similar to how (Oscar) Piastri aids (Lando) Norris.”
Meanwhile, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff told Österreich newspaper, “It’s difficult for an outsider to understand what’s happening with Perez. There is likely a mental factor involved, which is affecting the entire team’s performance. Perez is not a P16 driver, and Max is not a P6 driver. The team’s recent upheaval, following the departure of key personnel, is now reflected in their performance,” he added.
The latest rumors suggest that Red Bull may be considering drivers Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda as Perez’s potential replacements for the final three races of 2024, after Brazil.
Dutch broadcaster Ziggo Sport reports, via presenter Jack Plooij, that Red Bull may even be contemplating a $20 million buyout of Franco Colapinto’s contract with Williams for a 2025 seat. Team principal Christian Horner praised the 21-year-old Argentine’s talent, backed by a strong roster of national sponsors, saying, “It’s great to see young drivers like Franco or Liam making an impact when given the opportunity.”
Recently, Marko dismissed Williams boss James Vowles’ suggestion of a two-year ‘loan’ of Colapinto to another team like Audi-Sauber or Red Bull. “We discussed it with Williams,” Marko said, “but bringing in a driver from another academy for such a brief period isn’t realistic.”
After the race in Mexico, Colapinto himself seemed puzzled by the swirling rumors. “I don’t really understand where all this is coming from,” he said. “I don’t have a seat for next year, so I’ll likely race elsewhere. Hopefully, I can prove myself enough to earn a seat in Formula 1 by 2026 or 2027.”
