Formula One’s worst kept secret is finally revealed

It was the news story that almost everybody expected.

Despite the growing noise surrounding his Red Bull future, Sergio Perez had, in recent weeks, been looking ahead to next season, insisting he would see out the remaining two years of his contract with the Milton Keynes based team. The stark reality was, however, that Perez’s performances this season had not been good enough.

While teammate Max Verstappen was able to secure his fourth consecutive World Driver’s Championship, Red Bull missed out on the Constructors’ title, coming in third behind Ferrari and winners McLaren. Perez finished in eighth position, winning zero races, zero pole positions and only finishing on the podium four times in the record 24 race season.

Vital contributions to Verstappen

Perez joined Red Bull in 2021, replacing Alex Albon after an impressive fourth place finish with Racing Point in 2020. Despite the 2020 season being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, he was able to secure his maiden win at the Sakhir Grand Prix, becoming the first Mexican to win a race in F1 since Pedro Rodriguez’s win at the 1970 Belgium Grand Prix.

The man they call Checo went on to start 90 races with the team, managing five wins, including a victory at the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix and a pair of successes in Azerbaijan, which demonstrated his superior ability in street circuits. He helped Red Bull to the Constructors Championship in 2022 and 2023, coming runner-up last season while Verstappen dominated almost every race on the calendar.

His most significant contribution is widely regarded to during the final race of the 2021 season in Abu Dhabi where Perez played a vital role in Max Verstappen’s first world title win. The Mexican was able to hold off Lewis Hamilton while Verstappen closed the gap on the British driver, culminating in the dramatic last lap overtake from the Dutchman on fresher tyres.

The 2024 season proved costly, however, with constant speculation surrounding his future dominating headlines during almost every race weekend in the second half of the year. This was despite team boss Christian Horner only signing Perez to a new deal in May. While Perez wasn’t ‘officially’ sacked, it was mutually agreed that a split was best for both parties.

What next for Perez?

In an interview with Sky Sports, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner revealed Perez would be taking a “sabbatical from Formula 1 essentially” but that he’d “still be involved with the brand and the team”.

It does leave the door open for a potential move back to the grid in 2026, especially with the possibility of an eleventh team on the grid.

“An unforgettable experience”

Sergio Perez: “Driving for Red Bull has been an unforgettable experience and I’ll always cherish the successes we achieved together. We broke records, reached remarkable milestones, and I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people along the way. A big thank you to every person in the Team from the management, engineers and mechanics, catering, hospitality, kitchen, marketing and communications, as well as everyone at Milton Keynes, I wish you all the best for the future. It has also been an honour to race alongside Max as a teammate all these years and to share in our success. A special thank you to the fans around the world, and especially to the Mexican fans for your unwavering support every day. We’ll meet again soon. And remember…Never give up.”

“An extraordinary team player”

Christian Horner, Team Principal and CEO of Red Bull Racing: “I would like to thank Checo for all he has done for Red Bull Racing over the past four seasons. From the moment he joined in 2021, he proved himself to be an extraordinary team player, helping us to two Constructors’ titles and to our first 1-2 finish in the Drivers’ championship. His five wins, all on street circuits, were also a spectacular mark of his determination to always push to the limit. While Checo will not race for the Team next season, he will always be an extremely popular Team member and a treasured part of our history. Thank you, Checo.”

Lawson or Tsunoda?

Perez’s departure now frees up one of the most coveted spots on the grid for 2025. Should Red Bull look to promote internally, it would appear to be a straight shootout between RB (now known as Racing Bulls) drivers Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson. Recent speculation has suggested Lawson is favourite to become Max Verstappen’s teammate next season, although having only joined RB half way through this year, Tsunoda would rightly feel aggrieved given his impressive performances in 2024. It is expected that Frenchman Isack Hadjar, who finished second in Formula 2 this season, will then join Racing Bulls.

Red Bull says further announcements regarding its full 2025 line-up will be made “in due course”.

words: Mike Booth
pictures: Red Bull