The 2024 F1 season is shaping up to be the worst for Sergio Perez with Red Bull. The #11 driver is sitting eighth in the drivers’ standings with six Q1 exits to his name. Earlier this week, the Mexican racing ace suffered yet another horrid qualifying result for the Sprint Race at the Qatar GP weekend as he only managed the 16th fastest time. However, he did make it into Q3 for the Grand Prix and now he wants to salvage something for the team with a points finish on Sunday.
Speaking after qualifying ninth on the grid for the race, Perez said, “I really hope that we can go all the way through the pack and score some good points. The direction we have gone with the car is promising“.
Perez: I really hope that we can go all the way through the pack and score some good points. The direction we have gone with the car is promising.
— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) November 30, 2024
Perez will be really counting on his RB20 as he desperately needs to deliver if he wants to have any chance of driving for Red Bull even next year. His struggles to get strong results have all but confirmed Red Bull losing out on the Constructors’ championship this season.
Despite having a contract in hand for next year, it is looking ever so likely that the Mexican racing ace will get the axe at Red Bull by the end of this season. But if he can pull out a result at the Lusail International Circuit, it could do wonders for himself and the team.
Red Bull are still vying for P2 in the Constructors’ championship and with Max Verstappen on pole for the team, they would be hoping to see Perez right up there with the Dutchman to score a solid haul of points going into the last race of the season in Abu Dhabi.
While Perez has struggled for the majority of the race weekend, his comments about the setup of the RB20 might have some truth in them. During Qualifying, the #11 driver was more or less within three-tenths of his teammate — a statistic that might give Christian Horner and Helmut Marko some hope going into the race on Sunday.
