Defying the Majority, Otmar Szafnauer Once Said Sergio Perez Would Keep His Seat for 2025

Sergio Perez’s form was abysmal for a couple of months heading into the summer break, and most of the F1 community were confident that he would be sacked midway into the season. But not Otmar Szafnauer, who also predicted that Red Bull would start 2025 with the Mexican in its lineup.

According to Szafnauer, if he was the Team Principal at Red Bull, he too would continue with Perez as Max Verstappen’s teammate. “I think he’s doing the job,” Szafnauer said to RacingNews365. “If that combination of drivers is working, I would keep it the same.” 

Sergio Perez will be staying on at Red Bull Racing

This has been confirmed by the team.

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— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) July 29, 2024

Szafnauer made his claim back when Carlos Sainz was also available on the market, and he explained why he would prefer Perez over the Spaniard. The former Aston Martin team principal said,

“You don’t know what you’re gonna get. With Checo, you know exactly what you have. If you’re confident that the combination that you have can win you the Championship in ’25 as well”. 

Perez and Verstappen’s combination has delivered so far – Szafnauer

Perez joined Red Bull in 2021, and right from the get-go, he was the second driver on the team. Verstappen assumed the role of the lead driver fighting for Championships, and Perez’s role was to support him in races and get results that would help Red Bull win the Constructors’ Title.

In 2021, that worked well, and in 2022 too, Perez did the job. Last year, however, saw the first major slump in his Red Bull stint and things have gotten worse this time around.

Szafnauer still believes that the combination works well. Perez knows and accepts his role at Red Bull wholeheartedly, which other drivers may not. “That’s why I would keep him,” Szafnauer concludes.