Sergio Perez reportedly did not make life easy for Red Bull once the team had come to the decision that it was time for the pair to part ways.

Perez’s departure was billed as his own choice but it is assumed it was a case of jump or be pushed with the Mexican having underperformed in 2024.

Details emerge over Sergio Perez’s Red Bull exit

A decision many saw coming was confirmed on Wednesday with Perez announcing he was to leave Red Bull at the end of the year but behind-the-scenes, it was an exit that took a lot of negotiating.

According to ESPN, Perez’s manager Julian Jakobi drove a hard bargain in both his exit agreement and ensuring Perez received a new deal back in June.

ESPN also claims that Red Bull quickly came to regret the two-year extension they gave to Perez with his form falling away from Monaco onwards.

Team boss Christian Horner said Perez’s departure was a “culmination of things” but they could not ignore what was a “very tough year” for the 34-year-old.

“It’s been a culmination of things,” Horner told ESPN. “Checo started the season so strongly, four podiums out of five races. It felt like he’d taken off where he’d left off last year.

“But then really from Monte Carlo, that race onwards, it’s been a very tough year for him, and we’ve tried everything with him and supporting him and basically he’s come to his own conclusion that I think that now is the right time to step away from Formula 1 to take a bit of time out.”

There seemed no ill will on Perez’s part who thanked the team for the opportunity and wished them the best for the future.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the past four years with Red Bull Racing and for the opportunity to race with such an amazing team,” Perez said in a statement.

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“Driving for Red Bull has been an unforgettable experience, and I’ll always cherish the success we achieved together. We broke records, reached remarkable milestones and I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people along the way.

“A big thank you to every person in the team from management, engineers and mechanics, catering, hospitality, kitchen, marketing and communications, as well as everyone at Milton Keynes. I wish you all the best for the future.

“It’s also been an honour to race alongside Max as a teammate all these years and to share in our success.”

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