Sergio Perez started the 2024 season on a note that pleased the Red Bull management. The Mexican driver delivered consistent podium finishes while keeping a safe distance from Max Verstappen, the usual race winner. That golden run led to the team offering him an extension which he readily signed. However, the move backfired instantly as the #11 driver’s performance took a slump that has continued since.
This has led to speculations over whether the team will rethink their decision about offering Perez an extension. While many believe the deal is set in stone and Red Bull has no choice but to soldier on with him, ESPN’s Nate Saunders has provided some crucial insights.
Saunders pointed out the performance clauses in each Red Bull driver’s contract which gives the team the power to sack a driver. In a recent episode of the ESPN F1 Unlapped podcast, he said,
“I think every single driver who’s got a Red Bull contract, whether you are Max, Checo [Perez], [Daniel] Ricciardo, or [Yuki] Tsunoda, you’ve got performance clauses baked in there. I think [Nyck] de Vries had five races, and then Red Bull can basically terminate the deal. I’d be stunned if Perez doesn’t have the same in his.”
De Vries joined AlphaTauri (now Visa Cash App RB) in 2023. The rookie driver failed to make a mark with the already struggling team. In his 10 races with AlphaTauri, De Vries scored just two points, leading to his termination. It also led to Ricciardo replacing him mid-season, and later earning an extension to drive for the team in 2024.
Perez, meanwhile, struggled throughout the second half of 2023, after scoring two wins. Despite that, Red Bull decided to honor the full duration of his contract. As per Saunders, the early extension stems from the need to relieve him of the pressure he has been facing this year.
Is sacking Sergio Perez really the answer to Red Bull’s woes?
Red Bull is currently facing stiff competition from the likes of Ferrari and McLaren for race wins. That has led to their lead shrinking with each passing Grand Prix. In such a situation, they need Perez to deliver as many points as he can while Verstappen fights for race wins at the front.
That, however, hasn’t been the case. The recently concluded Austrian GP is a prime example that demonstrates Perez’s struggles.
Verstappen beat him by a massive margin despite suffering a late puncture and hobbling into the pits for a tire change. That, as per Saunders, should ring alarms at Red Bull, who have no dearth of talent with the likes of Ricciardo and Tsunoda waiting in the background.
