Sergio Perez has issued a defiant response insisting that he is going nowhere at the end of the 2024 season, despite Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko suggesting that the 34-year-old’s future with the team is far from assured.
Perez heads into the Brazilian Grand Prix this weekend under immense pressure following a disastrous P17 finish at his home race in Mexico City. The six-time Grand Prix winner has failed to secure a podium finish in his last 15 race starts and sits a lowly eighth in the Drivers’ Championship standings.
The Mexican’s struggles are now starting to cost Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship. Ferrari’s surge in form has dropped the reigning champions down to third in the standings and with just four races to go, there is little time for them to recover.
With his team-mate Max Verstappen leading the World Championship and Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda both pushing hard to demonstrate their viability as potential replacements, Perez is in a precarious position.
Speaking ahead of the Brazilian GP, Marko explained: “The drop in the Constructors’ Championship to third place, the 200 points behind Max Verstappen, all of that speaks volumes.” He later added: “The testing in Abu Dhabi will be crucial for his (Isack Hadjar’s) future. A number of drivers will be there as well who could be considered for next year.”
Team principal Christian Horner added more fuel to the fire after the race in Mexico. “As a team, we need to have both cars scoring points and that’s the nature of F1,” he stated.
“From the team’s perspective, we’re working with him as hard as we can to try and support [him]. I think we’ve done everything that we can to support Checo, and we’ll continue to do so in Brazil next weekend, but there comes a point in time that you can only do so much.”
When Perez was asked about Marko’s comments and the chances of a premature exit from Red Bull, he was clear in his response. “Well I know I am,” he said. “That’s all I can say.”
The 34-year-old went on to add: “No, not at all. It’s just rumours, at the end of the day. You will see me in Vegas, you will see me next year. I’m not the one that worries about it.”
While Perez is adamant that his future at Red Bull is safe, if the Milton Keynes-based team end the year third in the Constructors’ Championship then Horner and Marko may finally lose patience with the former Racing Point and Sauber driver.
