‘Checo’ has his own future in his hands at Red Bull

Sergio Perez's position at Red Bull Racing has come under intense scrutiny following yet another underwhelming performance at the Qatar Grand Prix, where he retired from the race, compounding the team's woes as they chase the constructors' championship.

With the season drawing to a close, team principal Christian Horner has left the door open for Perez to evaluate his own future, amidst mounting speculation over his role alongside Max Verstappen.

Despite having a contract that extends until the end of next year, the 34-year-old driver’s performances have prompted whispers that he may not continue beyond this season. Currently sitting eighth in the championship standings, Perez has been the only driver in the top four teams without a victory this season, having secured a mere 152 points from 23 races, drastically overshadowed by Verstappen’s remarkable tally of 429 points.

The contrast between the two drivers could not be more stark; Verstappen, who sealed his fourth consecutive drivers' title, recently added to his triumphs with a ninth win at Lusail, while Perez's last podium appearance dates back to his third-place finish in China in April.

Following a promising start to the 2024 season, where he clinched three second-place finishes in the opening four races, Perez's form has since nosedived, with just 28 points amassed from the subsequent 10 races and a worrying streak of finishes outside the top six since May's Miami GP.

“Sometimes things don’t go your way. We’re still here and optimistic that we can turn things around as a team, especially for next year,” Perez stated after the Qatar race, showing resilience amidst the uncertainty.

When pressed about his contract situation, he refrained from discussing it publicly, maintaining an air of professionalism.

“I’ve been 14 years in the sport and I don’t speak about my contracts publicly. I know exactly where I am and I will not speak about it publicly,” he asserted.

As the Abu Dhabi finale approaches, the expectation of a decision regarding Perez's future looms larger. Horner commented on the situation, saying, “I’m going to let Checo come to his own conclusions.

“Nobody’s forcing him one way or another. He’s old enough and wise enough to know what the situation is.”

With earlier talk of a switch to a new driver intensifying, Liam Lawson, the promising New Zealander, is touted as a potential replacement, while Argentine rookie Franco Colapinto has also been mentioned despite his recent struggles with crashes at Williams.

In addition, Red Bull has their eyes on Franco-Algerian Isack Hadjar, currently competing in the F2 championship, as a possible candidate for the second seat alongside Japan’s Yuki Tsunoda, should Lawson ascend to a more prominent role. The announcements of potential changes, scheduled post-Abu Dhabi, carry significant consequences for the team’s strategy moving forward.

Reuters