Naomi Schiff felt ‘stark’ shift in how Red Bull view Sergio Perez after what Christian Horner told her in Qatar

Sergio Perez continues to face an uncertain future with Red Bull ahead of the season-finale Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and Naomi Schiff has noted a ‘shift’ in the team’s stance.

It has been a term to forget for the Mexican in 2024, with Perez costing Red Bull the defence of their constructors’ title. Instead, McLaren and Ferrari head to the Yas Marina Circuit vying for their first teams’ titles since 1998 and 2008 respectively, with the squads 21 points apart.

Red Bull would likely have won a third successive constructors’ championship if Perez had a stronger year. Max Verstappen retained his drivers’ title and sits on 429 points ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix yet Perez lingers down in eighth place after 23 rounds with 152 points.

Naomi Schiff thinks Red Bull have already decided to part with Sergio Perez

Results have regularly evaded Perez since he started the season with four podium finishes in the first five Grand Prix. The 34-year-old has not reached a rostrum since the Chinese Grand Prix. Perez has also not finished higher than sixth in the 17 Grands Prix since his P4 in Miami.

So, motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has confirmed Red Bull will discuss firing Perez after the Abu Dhabi GP. The team are due to debate the Guadalajara native’s future next Monday, having handed Perez a contract extension for the 2025 season in June with his deal expiring.

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But Schiff felt a ‘shift’ in how Red Bull view Perez’s future after speaking with team principal Christian Horner following his retirement in the Qatar Grand Prix. She now believes Red Bull have already decided to part with Perez as Horner’s tone changed from his endless support.

Schiff, noting chats about Perez’s future since the summer, told the Sky Sports F1 podcast,: “Christian’s always been incredibly defensive of Checo in every one of those conversations to the point we couldn’t even understand why he was defending him so much.

“Every other driver who’s had poor performances at Red Bull have been cut with no hesitation. Whereas Checo has been kept on and been defended so much by Christian that, to me, there was a stark difference in the way that he spoke to us on Sunday night in Qatar.

“He was starting to use past tense when he was talking about Checo as if he’d already made that decision [to part]. And then to also say things like, ‘He’s mature enough, wise enough [and] old enough to make the right decision’ is like they’re putting the ball in his park because they want him to go off in a more respectable way by making the decision himself.

“So, you could totally feel that there was a shift. Something has changed. I don’t know if that conversation’s been had or not, what paperwork still needs to be done because, obviously, he does have a contract until the end of next year.”

What has Christian Horner said about Sergio Perez’s future at Red Bull?

Perez retired from the Qatar Grand Prix after a confusing spin at the safety car restart having overheated the six-time Grand Prix winner’s clutch. It also meant he did not score any points in a Grand Prix for fourth time in the past seven and seventh time so far this season, as well.

Now, Schiff thinks the writing is on the wall, despite Perez wanting £16m for Red Bull to end his contract, after Horner told Sky Sports after the Qatar GP how the ‘wonderful’ driver will get the chance to decide if he returns with the team in 2025 or walks away after Abu Dhabi.

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“He’s not enjoying the situation he’s in at the moment,” the Red Bull boss said. “He knows the pressure of this business. We are going to give him all the support we can all the way to the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi.

“What he decides to do, that will be his decision at the end of the day. He’s old enough and wise enough to come to his own conclusions. There’s still a race to go… Checo’s old enough and wise enough to know what the situation is. Let’s see where we are after Abu Dhabi.”