Sergio Perez is no longer contracted to drive for Red Bull in the 2025 Formula 1 season after being replaced by Liam Lawson.
It means that Max Verstappen will have a new teammate as he chases a fifth consecutive Drivers’ Championship next season.
Perez left the Milton Keynes-based outfit with no option but to replace him after he failed to score a podium in any of his last 19 races.
Yuki Tsunoda has been snubbed for the position, signalling a lack of faith in the Japanese driver who was in true contention for the role.
Perez was kicked out of Red Bull as a junior driver making this the second time that he has been dropped by the Austrian outfit in the last 20 years.
Only time will tell if Lawson is any better, but it’s hard not to improve upon the poor standard that the 35-year-old produced this year.
Christian Horner says 2024 F1 season got ‘very tough’ for Sergio Perez in Monaco
Helmut Marko thinks Lawson must make an improvement after replacing Perez, with the need to race strongly at the front.
It means that Red Bull does have some doubts about their new driver, but at 22 years of age, he brings plenty more potential upside to the table.
READ MORE: Helmut Marko’s best Sergio Perez quotes as Red Bull end contract
Speaking on ESPN F1’s Unlapped podcast, team boss Christian Horner revealed where things all started to go wrong for Perez in 2024.
“Well, basically it has been a culmination of things,” he said. “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.
“Then from Monte Carlo, that race onwards it has been a very tough year for him. We’ve tried everything with him and supporting him.
“Basically, he’s come to his own conclusion that now is the right time to step away from Formula 1. To take a bit of time out and he’s been a massively popular member of our team. He has decided that now is the right time for him to step away from being a Formula 1 driver.”
Where will Sergio Perez go next after Red Bull?
Perez has no options left in Formula 1 for 2025, meaning that if he wants to race next year then he will have to join another series.
Nobody quite knows if he’s ready to move on yet or just wants to take a year away and come back, but for 2026 there could be some interesting options.
Cadillac are the new kids on the block and will require two consistent drivers to kickstart their operations. Having someone who will be available to them as they prepare for 2025 would be a big bonus.
The expertise and knowledge of competing at the highest level would be incredibly valuable to them and perhaps make up for any speed he has lost over the last few years.
A home reunion with Aston Martin could happen too, but they do have young drivers nowadays to satisfy and are geared towards the long-term right now.
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