Sergio Perez’s future with the Red Bull Racing team has been the subject of intense speculation in recent months, primarily due to a prolonged period of disappointing performance following his catastrophic qualifying crash during the Monaco Grand Prix in May.
Since that unfortunate incident, Perez has grappled with a loss of confidence and pace, resulting in a decline in his race results. The driver, who was once a contender for the championship, now finds himself nervously eyeing the approaching Lewis Hamilton, with a mere 20-point gap between them and only three Grands Prix left in the season.
The nature of the rumors regarding Perez’s future has been ever-changing, with the latest twist being a social media post from a Reddit user claiming to have attended an Escuderia Telmex event. The post suggested that Perez was planning to retire from Formula 1 and would make the announcement during the Mexican Grand Prix weekend.
During the Mexican Grand Prix, Perez experienced a nightmare race, misjudging a Turn 1 overtaking attempt that led to a collision with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and his subsequent retirement. This incident further fueled the rumor mill.
Adding to the speculation were cryptic posts on social media platforms by several prominent F1 journalists and broadcasters, hinting at a significant event occurring behind the scenes. These hints were often related to the situation involving Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo.
The prevailing rumor suggests that Perez may lose his seat to Ricciardo, with Red Bull running out of patience with the Mexican driver. This rumor gained momentum when Ricciardo delivered a stellar performance, finishing seventh in Mexico, coinciding with Perez’s error.
A more audacious rumor has been the potential replacement of Perez by Fernando Alonso, who has reportedly become frustrated with Aston Martin’s on-track performance and is seeking an early exit from his one-year deal with the team. These rumors were further stoked by Aston Martin’s testing of reserve driver Felipe Drugovich at Monza. However, it was clarified that this test was part of the team’s pre-planned schedule for the season and not related to driver changes.
Sources within Red Bull have indicated that all driver-related rumors regarding the 2024 lineup are inaccurate, and there are currently no plans to field any driver other than the confirmed lineup of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner offered his perspective following the Mexican Grand Prix. He acknowledged the challenging circumstances for Perez and stated that he believed the Mexican driver was on course for a podium finish before the incident. Horner expressed Red Bull’s continued faith in Perez, emphasizing their belief that he can secure the runner-up spot in the Drivers’ Championship and help Red Bull achieve its first team 1-2 finish in nearly two decades.
Regarding rumors that Perez’s retention might hinge on securing second place, Horner clarified that such an ultimatum has not been made and emphasized that Perez has an agreement with Red Bull for the following year, with the team’s intention being for him to remain in the car for the 2024 season. While the team is committed to supporting Perez in his quest for second place in the championship, his future does not solely depend on that outcome.
