Sergio Perez faces a vote of confidence from his Red Bull team after the final two races of the season, following a disappointing year for the Mexican.
Since the summer break in August, Perez has only scored 15% of Red Bull’s points total with 20 points compared to Max Verstappen’s 126 points.
The result means that Red Bull is now 53 points behind Constructors’ Championship leaders McLaren, and while there is still 101 points left with the Sprint race in Qatar, it seems unlikely they will close that deficit.
Verstappen has been consistent enough to clinch his fourth title in Las Vegas with two races left, but now the focus is on Perez to see if he can improve on eighth in the Drivers’ Championship and help Red Bull at least overtake Ferrari.
| Driver | Points scored in last six races |
| Sergio Perez | 9 |
| Max Verstappen | 100 |
Red Bull employees have been told 40% of their end-of-season bonus is at risk this year, although simulator driver Rudy Van Buren said the team is more focused on improving their on-track form.
Former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde believes Perez should quit at the end of the season and has named three alternative championships he could race in with his talent when speaking on the DRS: De Race Show podcast.
Sergio Perez told to seek out Indycar, sportscar or stockcar drives
Danica Patrick has called on Perez to retire at the end of the season, as pressure mounts on the Mexican to deliver results that match Verstappen.
Several drivers who retire in F1 go on to race in other championships, notably Rubens Barrichello who raced in Indycar for a few seasons and then switched to Brazilian stockcars.
Van der Garde believes Perez is doing his reputation harm by letting the Red Bull drive drag for as long as it has done, given he is costing the team millions in prize money.
“I don’t understand why he wants to continue [in F1]. Every time I see him with his shoulders down and saying ‘I couldn’t do anything more’,” said Van der Garde.
“He needs to drive the next two races and say ‘Thanks guys, I helped the team with the Constructors’ Championship once’ he means a lot to Max too, been a great help and a superstar in Mexico. But he’s more of a stockcar, or sportscar or Indycar, there are plenty of things he can do in motorsport today and do for a long time. But this will eat away at his name.”
Christian Horner sets Sergio Perez challenge amid Red Bull pressure
Christian Horner was quicker to hail Verstappen after the Las Vegas GP for winning his fourth title, but separately said the Perez was issued a challenge for the remainder of the season.
The Mexican has hardly been on the scoreboard in the last few races, having suffered a difficult home race after contact with Liam Lawson and slipping out of the points in the tricky Sao Paulo GP conditions.
READ MORE: Where ’employment court’ stands on Red Bull breaking Sergio Perez’s 2025 contract
The Las Vegas GP was his first points in two races and Horner wants him to be in the double figures for the final races in Qatar an Abu Dhabi.
Red Bull is reportedly going to stage a meeting after the final race to determine his future, with Liam Lawson waiting in the sister Visa CashApp RB team to be promoted.
