Sergio Perez has secured an extension on his contract to continue driving for Red Bull.
The 34-year-old has won five races for the team since he joined them from Racing Point in 2021. He finished runner-up to team mate Max Verstappen in the world championship last year.His last contract extension came in May 2022, when he agreed a two-year deal taking him up to the end of this season.
Team principal Christian Horner said “now is an important time to confirm our line-up for 2025.”
“We are very pleased to continue working together with Checo. Continuity and stability are important for the team and both Checo and Max are a successful and robust partnership, securing our first ever one-two finish for the team in the championship last year.”
Perez’s form dipped during last season and Perez has gone more than a year without winning a race. The spell of poor results in the middle of 2023 appeared to cast doubt on his future at the team. However Red Bull kept him in place for this season and his form improved at the beginning of the new season.
“Checo has had a strong start to 2024 with second places in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Japan and then his podium in China,” Horner continued. “The past few races have been tough, there is convergence on the grid, but we are confident in Checo and look forward to his return to proven form and performance, that we so often see.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
“Last year was a unicorn season and we will need to work hard to retain our titles, but we are assured in our line up and with the team as a whole, which is imperative in what is shaping up to be a close fought championship this year.”
Verstappen won the world championship for the first time when Perez joined him in 2021. He was praised by the team for his role in the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that year where he helped Verstappen by delaying his title rival Lewis Hamilton.
Further wins in 2022 earned Perez a two-year contract extension. But despite finishing second in the drivers’ championship last year to his team mate, Perez scored less than half Verstappen’s points tally. He endured a series of poor results through the season and won just two races compared to Verstappen’s 19.
Perez is yet to win a race so far in 2024, while Verstappen has taken the chequered flag first on five occasions, with Carlos Sainz Jnr, Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc each winning one grand prix.
Perez said driving for Red Bull is “a challenge like no other” and he is “really happy to commit my future to this great team.”
“I want to thank everyone for all the trust they are putting in me, it is a lot and I want to pay it back with excellent results on track, and off track. I think we have a lot of work to do, we have a lot more championships to win together.”
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
A veteran of over 260 grands prix starts, Perez is the most successful Mexican driver in Formula 1 history with six victories – the most recent of which came in last year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Perez joined the Formula 1 grid with Sauber in 2011, taking three podiums in his second season in 2012, which earned him the attention of McLaren.
After racing with McLaren for a season in 2013, he was dropped in favour of Kevin Magnussen for the following year. He moved to Force India the next year, where he scored a podium finish in four of his first five seasons with the team. When Force India fell into receivership in 2018, Perez remained at the team for three seasons as their transformed into Racing Point.
Perez was set to lose his seat at the end of 2020 before Racing Point evolved into Aston Martin for the following season. However, after he secured his maiden grand prix victory at the Sakhir Grand Prix, Red Bull offered him a seat alongside Verstappen for 2021. In the middle of his fourth season with Red Bull, Perez is currently sixth in the drivers’ championship on 107 points, 62 behind his team mate.
Red Bull are the third team to confirm their driver line-up for the upcoming season. They join McLaren, who are keeping the same drivers as this year, and Ferrari, who have hired Lewis Hamilton to replace Carlos Sainz Jnr.
View the current list of 2025 F1 drivers and teams
Become a RaceFans Supporter
RaceFans is run thanks in part to the generous support of its readers. By contributing £1 per month or £12 per year (or the same in whichever currency you use) you can help cover the costs of creating, hosting and developing RaceFans today and in the future.
Become a RaceFans Supporter today and browse the site ad-free. Sign up or find out more via the links below:
Formula 1
- Dunne to make F1 practice debut in Norris’s car at Austrian Grand Prix
- The driver and car explanations for how Piastri turned the tables on Norris
- How to watch the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix
- Has Formula 1’s calendar changed for the better or worse in the 21st century?
- Ferrari made “decent recovery” after poor start but must improve more – Vasseur
Retired (@jeff1s)
4th June 2024, 17:03
Enjoy Max Verstappen ladies and gentlemen, he’ll probably quit this sport at the end of next year.
Love from NL
SjaakFoo (@sjaakfoo)
4th June 2024, 17:15
Yeah, I’m sure the guy that spends his time between F1 races doing sim racing is going to call it quits after next year, that definitely sounds plausible.
Alexander King
5th June 2024, 4:33
honestly it does. if you read between the lines I think he hates the 2026 regs and he doesn’t care about records and championships. he sounds ready to move do to do gt3s and other things.
Doh
5th June 2024, 9:12
It sort of feels like max career has become a damp cloth and under delivered because he’s had sub par team mates and no competition. Lewis and seb had prove themselves time and time again during their winning stints, especially Lewis. Big F for redbull and max. Turns out it’s possible to be too successful.
To further explain.. no one is going to remember this redbull and max dominance era other than what? Them winning with no great races for the win.
In comparison bot vettel and Lewis eras had multiple title fights between two drivers at least 8 title fights over 13 years, with almost 6 that went to the very end. And the other years there was plenty they had to really fight for at various points.
In the end it feels like this era for redbull and max will be easily forgotten other than numbers.
Shame on redbull for not putting a stronger driver in the second car. It’s understandable but it also doesn’t do max much good to have had arguably the weakest teammate history of all recent multiple world champions.
Talby (@maichael)
5th June 2024, 11:40
@jeff1s Based on what? Verstappen couldn’t make anywhere near as much money outside of F1, and he seems to care about that a great deal.
BLS (@brightlampshade)
4th June 2024, 17:07
Looks like all those stellar performances from Perez have paid off with this reward….
billc
4th June 2024, 17:14
Is this 2 full years, or one year and an option that RBR can exercise?
Please be the latter. Please….
Pete
4th June 2024, 17:44
Makes very little difference. The contract just guarantees Perez 2 years pay – not 2 years in the car.
If Red Bull decide they need someone quick in the 2nd car, he’ll be off.
Sumedh
4th June 2024, 17:15
A decision made to please Max and stop him from leaving probably. Or a decision made by Horner to ensure he has the numbers in an internal face off. (Checo is a Horner supporter)
PacificPR (@streydt)
4th June 2024, 17:17
Yeah ask Marko why that might be..
anon
4th June 2024, 20:31
Marko hasn’t been that enthusiastic about any of the other drivers that have a contract with Red Bull either though. He’s been downplaying Tsunoda and wasn’t making a case for Ricciardo or Lawson either – in some senses, Marko and Horner seem to agree on one thing, which is that they both see Perez as the safe, if uninspiring, option.
Welsh Boy
4th June 2024, 17:16
Conclusve proof that RB have never, and will never, truly be a two driver team. They operate on the principle of the star driver. As long as the No. 2 doesn’t crash more than 25% of the season then great. There is zero way that Checo has earned that seat on merit, he has it because he is a good little boy who does JUST enough to help win the constructors and doesn’t pose a threat to Max.
THIS is the reason why Merc dominance was better than RB dominance. At least they had the balls to let them race. Horner and Marko are a joke. Once Newey leaves I think we’re going to get a pretty good idea of where RB’s success actually came from…
Dex
4th June 2024, 20:41
“Valtteri, this is James.” It’s easy to let them race when it costs you nothing…
Mayrton
5th June 2024, 9:24
This. I would argue that made Mercedes even worse. The car won everything and was so good Rosberg and even Bottas could lead and had to be reigned in to let their nr 1 driver win and set (aided) records. And to think it also was 8 straight years long.
Craig
5th June 2024, 11:16
I see you deliberately omitted important context, it’s the only way that argument “works”.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
4th June 2024, 22:37
Max is an exceptionally good driver, so it isn’t surprising Red Bull built the team around him. Last year Red Bull didn’t need another competitive driver to win the World Constructors’ Championship, but so far this year it seems they will need a driver who is earning enough points to keep RB ahead of Ferrari, which Sergio is able to do. We still don’t know what the impact of Adrian Newey’s departure will have on RB.
Bob
5th June 2024, 3:51
Vettel wasn’t the favourite in Red Bull until mid-2011. 2009 and 2010 Webber was a top driver and the favourite to win the title in 2010. Come 2011 he fell off a lot and it became clear he was no longer the #1 driver.
Also, Mercedes did the exact same thing with Bottas. It’s easy with Rosberg when no one else can keep up, but Toto was clear he never wanted that 2 top driver dynamic again after Rosberg left. It’s why he wasn’t keen on promoting Russell until he knew he’d lose him if he didn’t.
Mayrton
5th June 2024, 9:26
There is not one team boss in the world that wants two stellar & equal drivers in one team. We, the audience want it but that’s about it. From a team perspective it just doesn’t make sense and it just creates complexity.
Biggsy
4th June 2024, 17:21
Absolutely ridiculous.
Proof that F1 is far from meritocracy.
Ankita
5th June 2024, 8:59
Who deserves more (from those available)? Who fits better in the current RBR structure ? ALO is one of the greatest but his age is always an unknown, plus his personality is highly likely to be incompatible with VER. SAI has a good start to the season but has since come back to his usual place (second to LEC). PER has for a long time be in a very strange form (granted) but I don’t think SAI would fare better than him had he gotten the seat (plus it might take him time to realize that he would be the second driver which PER’s case it’s already assumed).
OCO is now available but in the two years together, PER was above him in the points. TSU is big question mark. So, who deserves it more ?
Abrams 25
4th June 2024, 17:21
Options for 2025:
Antonelli-Mercedes
Sainz-Audi
Ocon-Berman-Hass
or
Sainz-Mercedes
Antonelli-Williams
or
Sainz-Mercedes
Antoneli-Williams
Jere (@jerejj)
4th June 2024, 18:53
Antonelli-Williams & Sainz-Mercedes aren’t about to happen anymore, & even Sainz-Audi has seemed relatively unlikely over the last roughly two weeks.
Kribana (@krichelle)
4th June 2024, 17:21
😑😑 They really don’t care about the Constructors’ Championship
Kribana (@krichelle)
4th June 2024, 17:31
The guy just had the most lousy and lame weekend in a Red Bull. I don’t care if that car is not as good as it is, but Monaco was disgusting to watch by him. Getting knocked out of Q1 in Monaco is just incompetence and lousy driving. Note that he has the largest gap in qualifying in reference to his teammate among all the teams. The crash in Monaco with Magnussen was avoidable given that there was space on his left, so I don’t give him any consideration for that lousy weekend.
CryptidBadger (@ninjabadger)
4th June 2024, 18:25
Why would they?
Win the drivers’ title, they get #1 on the car, plus all the PR and marketing.
Win the constructors’ title, they get all the testing restrictions.
Tommy Scragend
5th June 2024, 5:36
Win the constructors’ title, they get more prize money.
CryptidBadger (@ninjabadger)
5th June 2024, 15:22
The prize money difference between 1st and 2nd [for 2023] was reported to be about $140m vs $130m, so a difference of about $10m.
The staff might be pleased at a better bonus for coming 1st.
But if they don’t win it, its not like Red Bull will be stuck having to check the back of the sofa for coins to run its operations.
Doh
5th June 2024, 9:16
At this point all they will be remembered for is numbers and the most boring winning era of all time. People thought vettel and Lewis winning was boring. This is beyond dumb and no pegging back redbull like they did constantly to mercedes.
Mayrton
5th June 2024, 9:29
I do not agree at all. It will take at least 5 more years of dominance to equal the borefest and processional races of 8 years Mercedes rocket engine in which it didn’t matter what driver you would put in since they all could and would and did win with it.
Drg
5th June 2024, 11:40
I love how you constantly suggest the ‘engine’ created the success…
Forgetting nearly half the grid was using the very same engine
No one can purchase the remarkable Red Bull aero technology- ever – and that is in use by just one team.
Don’t bother with engine parity stuff – the engines were and are identical and there was a long formal interview with the FIA printed in GP+ in 2015 – we have absolutely no idea just how much information the FIA have on each and every engine while running. A completely open window monitored by 20 computer technicians.
The only variance was McLaren’s as they insisted on a different oil sponsor and as a result were run slightly safer modes.
Broderick Harper (@banbrorace)
5th June 2024, 12:38
Yet another typical wind-up of yours.
Either that or you were asleep for the 2017, 18 and even 19 (start of anyway) seasons.
Drg
5th June 2024, 14:56
Me?
Or Mayton
I certainly was not asleep as I have been watching every race shown every season since 1977?
Mayrton
6th June 2024, 11:22
How soon people forget the ‘beast mode’ to uphold their narrative…
Salty (@salty)
4th June 2024, 17:24
Given the talent in the Red Bull young drivers program, this is very duff news. Sergio has had a good run, 13 and a bit seasons so far, and proved himself not capable of reaching Championship level. With Max already in the number 1 role in the lead team, surely time to introduce some young blood to F1. Will the likes of Hadjar never get a chance? Very very disappointing and unimaginative news. Can’t imagine the sponsors will be overwhelmed by this either.
PacificPR (@streydt)
4th June 2024, 17:24
Guess it makes sense in some ways (also sponsorship wise). But it is a bit frustrating, would have loved to see Sainz or even Tsunoda in that car.
Jere (@jerejj)
4th June 2024, 18:53
Sponsorship money from drivers has always been irrelevant to Red Bull as a big organization.
Mog
4th June 2024, 23:40
There was some conjecture re South American Red Bull drinks sales being boosted by Perez tho. And he does bring money from carlos slim doesn’t he?
PacificPR (@streydt)
5th June 2024, 7:03
As I have understood from reading some articles (think it was on Autosport ao) – hiring Perez is a bit of a win-win situation for Red Bull, bringing plenty of sponsors (comes in handy when you have to pay a very expensive driver like Max) and being a reasonably reliable driver (which is up for discussion). I bet Red Bull doesn’t per se need a driver that brings sponsors, but it’s clear they prefer this situation over a more competitive team mate situation (that also doesn’t have the benefit of some extra sponsors).
Nick T.
8th June 2024, 1:26
Unfortunately, this is not true. They won’t take an embarrassing pay driver of course, but at a time when they weren’t willing to sign someone they thought might be able to bother Max, there will still better number twos, but Perez’s money and the importance of the Mexican market gave him a huge edge.
Le Jimster (@lejimster82)
4th June 2024, 17:25
I like Checo and think he can do well in the right car, I just don’t see it happening in that team though. He didn’t really deserve a two year contract.. I’m not sure Marko would have given it him, I suspect Horner has rubbered stamped that one. Also, it should be pretty clear to Tsunoda he’s never going to be promoted to that Red Bull seat while he remains at RB.. What with all the announcements lately I wouldn’t be shocked if he announces for another team.
Ankita
5th June 2024, 9:04
I agree. I would love to see him in the second RB team alongside RIC or TSU. He was always top of his class in a midfield team. It is obvious that VER is better (and better than anyone in the grid) but being his teammate surely has a downward effect on your performance, it is demoralizing and makes do worse than you would normally do.
The two-year extension shows that RBR didn’t have much negotiating power. So one of two things, either they have a clear condition from the VER clan to sign PER, or RBR didn’t see any good options. A third option is that PER is a fierce support of Horner but I don’t think this is godo enough a reason to justify a two-year contract extension.
Maciek (@maciek)
4th June 2024, 17:31
I’ve always been a fan of Checo’s, but he hasn’t exactly stood up well under the pressure of partnering Verstappen. This is an uninspired and uninspiring move.
Doh
5th June 2024, 9:24
Redbull has always been a one driver team
Riccard
4th June 2024, 17:32
I like Perez and I’m glad he’s staying in the sport, but I wish it was in a different seat.
Sainz to Red Bull would have been perfect: our best chance of finding a rival for Max.
Sucks for Sainz that he’s a contender for second best driver on the grid (one of several), but will now be at Sauber or Williams.
Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
4th June 2024, 19:27
+1 I agree.
Yes (@come-on-kubica)
4th June 2024, 17:41
Woeful decision. Hope this cones back to bite red bull.
Broke1984 (@broke1984)
4th June 2024, 17:42
I’m disappointed but it is not the stupidest idea, he knows his place and a 2 year extents may put how head in the right place just to drive and not overthink or overdrive. I am thinking that yuki may go to Aston. Stroll senior has other shareholders to please and Honda will be wanting a Japanese driver, as for Liam Lawson who knows, will he wait until 26?
Edvaldo
4th June 2024, 18:11
I believe that too. Lance clearly hit his ceiling already and has nothing to achieve, he was given plenty of time and some good cars and never went anywhere. Honda will push for Tsunoda to take a seat and Alonso already has a contract. Lance may step down for a reserve role, that is, if he’s interested in doing that.
Janith
5th June 2024, 8:40
Not a good time to bash Stroll given he has matched Alonslow this season
Edvaldo
5th June 2024, 13:20
Alonso has a contract, Tsunoda is a Honda driver and Stroll is the son of a shareholder.
There are only 2 seats.
Stroll is leaving or they got some maveuvering to do.
Jere (@jerejj)
4th June 2024, 18:54
@broke1984 Lawson certainly wouldn’t wait for that long anymore.
Asd
4th June 2024, 17:44
Imagine Verstappen’s team mate was somebody to rival him and take half of the wins away from him and make the Championship as interesting as when Prost and Senna were both at McLaren back in the day.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
4th June 2024, 20:34
And we had proper wet races too and no drs, how far have we gone down…
Mayrton
5th June 2024, 9:33
I agree. Was watching the Archive on F1 TV and it became clear only progress has been made in terms of safety regulations. All other aspects of this sport have taken a serious downfall. The whole tension and build up of a race is gone, it is no longer cat and mouse game, but has turned into an audience pleasing superficial circus. I think some drivers will quit way before their expiration date since they will mentally tune out. I give it maximum of 10 years before it becomes obsolete and the audience moves to another racing category.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
4th June 2024, 20:35
Oh, and we had no restrictions on the amount of teams, we had a lot of teams at the time.
ykiki (@ykiki)
4th June 2024, 23:42
… but now we have the Senna/Berger version of McLaren, which honestly wasn’t that bad either.
Riccard
4th June 2024, 17:49
I wonder what this means for Tsunoda, Ricciardo, and Lawson?
For the last 18 months, Red Bull have wanted a backup option who could drop straight in for Perez. Tsunoda has been a good banker for that, with Ricciardo a wildcard worth trying.
Now, Red Bull want to develop someone ready for 2027. Tsunoda has put in strong performances, and could be that person – you can see him maybe reaching Perez/Bottas level, perhaps even Rosberg level with a fair wind. Ricciardo’s chance is surely gone. Lawson seems a better prospect than either.
Do you pair Tsunoda + Lawson, with Tsunoda as mentor and benchmark? Or would you take Lawson + rookie? When do you make a change?
If contracts aren’t an issue, I would personally pair Tsunoda + Lawson now, and see how Lawson does. If Lawson is level with or behind Tsunoda, I would maintain that pairing for next year; if Lawson clearly beats Tsunoda, I would move to Lawson + rookie.
I suspect Toro Rosso / VCARB stick with their current lineup for now, but they’ve made midseason changes before… and they may just have changed their driver development objectives.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
4th June 2024, 20:40
What a career destroyer ricciardo’s decision to leave red bull was, now he’d have been ok being the number 2 at red bull (just in terms of performance, not contracts) but back in 2018 he wasn’t, yet he’d have got several wins had he stayed, I’ve immediately been skeptical about his decision to jump to a midfield team.
I’d take tsunoda and lawson, I think tsunoda deserves a chance in a top team sooner or later, much like hulkenberg and perez do\did.
reggie747
5th June 2024, 9:44
I figure Ricciardo leaving RB was a pocket filling move rather than a career move.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
4th June 2024, 20:40
does*, since it’s referred to hulkenberg.
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
4th June 2024, 18:01
After that amateur debacle at Monaco last weekend, I would have been surprised if he had got a one-year contract.
They could easily put someone better in that seat.
Someone who wouldn’t try to beat Max, but would be far less embarrassing, and could help to make certain of the Constructors Championship for them.
A two-year deal just smells fishy to me.
I get the sense that there are a lot of slimy shenanigans going on at Red Bull these days.
Edvaldo
4th June 2024, 18:01
And when Max goes and wins 19 races in a season having this guy as a team mate, we’re told to “testify greatness”. Yeah, right.
Sainz is on the market -again- and they pass him for a lesser driver, again.
Here goes to another 2 years of talking about him being replaced after every poor weekend.
And, oh, yes, this means it’s game over for Ricciardo. The only reason he’s driving for that team is that it meant a shot at Red Bull. With Perez secured, it’s not happening. He can even call it quits right now if he wants.
MichaelN
4th June 2024, 18:48
He might as well and go race in Indycar. He’s now just there to tell silly jokes that appeal to Red Bull’s target audience of late teens. Given he’s about to be 35, the act is wearing a bit thin.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
4th June 2024, 20:47
Ricciardo’s situation shows how wrong it is to leave a top team for a midfield one, especially one as disorganised as renault, it’s so hard to get a shot at top teams there’s been promising drivers that never got one and he leaves, result: he’s no longer perceived as a top driver.
MichaelN
4th June 2024, 18:46
Imagine being paid millions to lead a team and not being able to manage two (!) drivers of equal caliber. What a shame!
To have the best seats in F1 occupied by Pérez is a big loss for F1, and also shows there’s no longer any reason to allow Red Bull to have a second team. It’s no longer there for promoting talent, which was a flimsy excuse at the best of time, but now it’s just a test mule and thus constitutes an unfair advantage.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
4th June 2024, 20:50
Agree it’s too big of an advantage to have a 2nd team, especially now that other teams can’t do the same, because of f1 being against letting more teams join.
Jere (@jerejj)
4th June 2024, 18:55
All but confirmed for a little while, although getting another two-year deal is somewhat surprising.
Paul (@frankjaeger)
4th June 2024, 19:06
Bad for the sport. Undeserved. Cowardly. Another adjective.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
4th June 2024, 19:13
Max relishes competition so this extension will continue to deliver maximum challenge for Max within his team. You always want to fight the best and Max will get his chance finally. I was afraid Red Bull may pick another driver and give Max a break but this is Iceman vs Maverick type of stuff. Really looking forward to the battles!
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
4th June 2024, 19:14
Wait they picked Perez as Max’s teammate? I thought this was about Sainz.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
4th June 2024, 20:51
Ah, strange cause it’s written in the headline they’re giving him 2 more years, it wouldn’t be 2 more if it were a driver who’s not already driving for RB.
Drg
5th June 2024, 14:51
I REALLY want some of whatever it is you are smoking
Maximum competition for Max?
I have to assume sarcasm
Nick T.
8th June 2024, 1:31
Not sure he could have made the sarcasm any clearer besides a “/sarcasm,” which somehow always ruins the joke.
Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
4th June 2024, 19:36
I don’t think an extension for Perez is all that surprising really, in the circumstances but two more years is. You may have thought they would just go for one year but I guess if they had ruled out Sainz then there was no reason to. Tsunoda and Ricciardo were not really looking like ready made replacements. Red Bull might have given them another year but it looks like they have ruled that out.
It is probably bad news for Ricciardo now as well because they may as well replace him with someone younger e.g. Lawson. Unless they somehow line up something else for him. It looks like another year at VCarb or nothing for him. Unlike many on here I don’t dislike him but he has been disappointing since his return. I honestly think it riles a lot of people that he has a happy, optimistic view of life.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
4th June 2024, 19:55
@phil-f1-21 yeah good points, totally forgot what that meant for Tsunoda and Ricciardo.
It’s definitely a vote of no-confidence in Ricciardo and Tsunoda – they are practically saying ‘any driver on the grid is better choice than the two of you’.
It’s very similar to Buemi and Algersuari.
I have a feeling that Perez may actually stay beyond that because why not? Results don’t matter so it’s probably just easier to keep for 10-20 years.
Nerrticus (@nerrticus)
4th June 2024, 20:11
As a Haas fan I hope it leads to Ricciardo heading there instead of Ocon, while opening the RB seat for Lawson.
Mark (@mrcento)
4th June 2024, 20:11
I think the cold, hard truth is, it was Ricciardo’s seat to lose, and he lost it.
Tsunoda was never going to get it with his temper tantrums and the Honda deal ending, Someone like Albon (if they had been available) was never getting it having already failed in that environment, rightly or wrongly, it’s something that will always count against him, and from there on in, who’s left?, An Alonso type upsets the hen house, A Hulkenberg type (pre Audi signing) hasn’t proven they can deliver under pressure, Bottas can be fast, but as a racer?, nope.
Who’s left?, Ocon, yeah, with the history between him and Max and his tendency to crash into team mates, that was never on the cards. Sainz?, I think people forget him and Max have history and basically needed separated pronto at Toro Rosso, dynamic all wrong with 2 motor racing fathers in the picture etc, was never happening either.
Realistically, it was Perez v Ricciardo. And the fact that Perez has got a 2 year deal out of Red Bull says all you need to know about how DR’s VCarb spell has actually gone.
Moi
4th June 2024, 20:30
This.
It’s not so much that Perez is their dream driver, it’s that there are no serious other options. Norris and Piastri were locked up by McLaren and everybody else on the grid is either worse than Perez and/or would upset the team balance too much.
Perez lucked out.
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
5th June 2024, 2:59
Oh yeah.
But putting Ocon in the other car would have at least been fun to watch. Ocon sis actually a quick driver and would have at least put pressure on Max.
Potentially could have been like the Senna Prost pairing but no let’s go with boring.
Broderick Harper (@banbrorace)
5th June 2024, 12:42
Correct. It’s hilarious that recently some on here gave the impression that Ocon to Mercedes was the most nonsensical driver move ever.
And then we got this.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
4th June 2024, 20:12
Unbelievable, if the next 2 races he’s again out of the points I’m so gonna laugh, and not at him, but at red bull, you don’t sign a driver who’s just coming from an underperforming period!
Edvaldo
4th June 2024, 20:23
yeah, it’s not like he just won Monaco, like the other time they gave him an extension.
He didn’t even need to fight for it. Goes to show how Red Bull values his driving, and the answer is they don’t.
He’s not too terrible, has some experience and brings some money, that’s enough for them as long as he doesn’t get in the way they run things.
Janith
5th June 2024, 8:42
The guy has fans and money. And Red Bull is not trying to change anything as long as Verstappen is winning
Tommy C (@tommy-c)
4th June 2024, 21:29
This feels uninspired…Red Bull are in danger of losing the constructors championship this year if McLaren and Ferrari can maintain their current performance level. I still expect Max to come out on top but there’s every chance Sergio will be 6th at best each race. Such a shame when there’s so many great drivers to choose from!
Drg
5th June 2024, 15:04
I find it incredible that people are now worried about the red bull ‘constructors championship
They are on record as having absolutely no interest in that part of the event due to their funding model. Other teams are not in that position.
Their only interest is the drivers (and only one within the team) all else is incidental
Nice place to be!
Drg
5th June 2024, 15:05
Actually just like Ferrari however I believe those views may have changed since they floated part of the company on the stock exchange.
FERCSA
4th June 2024, 22:46
His contract has a clause. Mark my word 😏
F180 (@f180)
4th June 2024, 22:55
If I were Andretti I would PR the lack of seats for drivers because FOM doesn’t allow new teams.
knightameer (@knightameer)
5th June 2024, 0:29
He literally had two of his worst races this year in the last two races consecutively. I guess he needs to be Yuji Ide levels of bad to be dropped by RBR.
Broderick Harper (@banbrorace)
5th June 2024, 12:40
And still some people think Ocon to Mercedes, is an outrageous idea.
Face it. There are few great alternatives outside the current drivers.