Sergio Perez made a “total retirement” from Formula 1, rather than taking a “sabbatical” with his Red Bull departure.

That is the claim of his father Antonio Pérez Garibay, who says that like when Perez was axed from Racing Point, only for Red Bull to offer an F1 career reprieve, the Mexican racer is facing the end of the road as a Formula 1 driver.

Sergio Perez retired from F1, says father

After a bruising F1 2024 campaign – which saw Perez slump to P8 in the Drivers’ Championship standings, after finishing 285 points behind team-mate Max Verstappen who secured a fourth straight title – Perez departed the team, with Liam Lawson called up from Racing Bulls as his replacement.

And while Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has described it as a “sabbatical” from Formula 1 for Perez, word comes from Perez’s father that the F1 door is likely closed for good.

“Today is a total retirement; there is nothing, there is no plan B, there is no plan C; today, at this moment, the Formula 1 page is closing, as it closed before, before arriving at Red Bull,” claimed papa Perez when speaking to N+ FORO.

“He was sacked from Racing Point and there was no plan B; that was the end of Formula 1 at that point; then came the Red Bull opportunity.

“At the moment, there is nothing else in front and we have to live with it; learn it, enjoy it. Let him concentrate and enjoy his family.”

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Perez departs Formula 1 – perhaps for good – with six grand prix wins to his name, five of those achieved as a Red Bull driver after his maiden victory at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix with Racing Point.

And despite falling short of his World Championship dreams up against Verstappen at Red Bull, unable to come close to the Dutchman’s pace for much of his tenure, we saw the best of Perez at Red Bull, says his father.

“See how many wins Checo had with Red Bull; how many podiums Checo achieved with Red Bull and he didn’t do it with all the other teams; I think Checo’s best years were with Red Bull,” he claimed.

“With Red Bull he made history for the country; he was runner-up in Formula 1. He came within one step of winning the Mexican Grand Prix and the F1 World Championship.″

Perez is though set to receive some seat time in 2025 with Red Bull.

“He’s still going to be involved with the team,” Horner confirmed to talkSPORT. “He will be doing a couple of show runs with us during next year.”

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