Sergio Perez’s 2024 season continues to go from bad to worse, with the Mexican driver showing no signs of breaking out of his slump. Ahead of his home race on Sunday, Perez had hoped for a strong qualifying performance to give his fans something to cheer about. However, in a disastrous session, the 34-year-old was knocked out in the first round.
The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez was stunned to see Perez eliminated in Q1, but given his season, it wasn’t entirely surprising. In 2024, Perez has exited in Q1 five times — more often than Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and RB’s Yuki Tsunoda, who each have four early exits.
This is an astounding stat, especially considering that both Stroll and Tsunoda drive far less competitive cars, which have struggled to rub shoulders with the frontrunners. Perez, on the other hand, has the RB20, which, though not quite as dominant as its predecessor that won 21 races in 2023, has still powered Max Verstappen to six wins this season.
Perez has not finished in the top five since the Miami GP in May, but his season did not start so poorly. He scored four podium finishes in the opening five outings after which it all went downhill for Perez. Ahead of the Mexican GP, he is down in P8, 204 points behind the leader Verstappen.
Sergio Perez now has more Q1 exits than Lance Stroll and Yuki Tsunoda this year pic.twitter.com/EKYmatXbSx
— Autosport (@autosport) October 26, 2024
For most of the 2024 season, rumors swirled that Red Bull was considering cutting ties with Perez. Daniel Ricciardo, who later lost his seat at RB, was tipped to replace him. However, the team ultimately showed faith in him, offering him a two year contract
That doesn’t guarantee his future, though. Perez still needs to deliver results, which he has struggled to do so far. If his performances don’t improve, drivers like Liam Lawson are ready to take his place.
Perez eying long Red Bull future
Amid ongoing rumors of being dropped by Red Bull due to his poor form, Perez has frequently faced questions about his future with the team. In response, the Guadalajara-born driver has repeatedly maintained that he plans on staying with the Milton-Keynes-based outfit through the full length of his contract, which runs until 2026.
However, given Red Bull’s history of replacing drivers without much thought—such as Pierre Gasly, Daniil Kvyat, and Nyck de Vries—it seems unlikely that Perez will secure his seat long-term unless he starts making a significant contribution to the team’s success.
On the other hand, Red Bull may recognize that Perez’s struggles partly stem from issues with the RB20 itself. In Mexico City, for instance, he reported braking issues, stating he had never felt sufficient stopping power in the braking zones.
Red Bull could decide to put their faith in Perez with an improved car in 2025, or they might choose to gamble on younger talent. Either way, the next few races will be crucial in determining his future with the team.
