Red Bull ‘sources’ now say Sergio Perez has changed his mind about his future before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Red Bull may look to oust Sergio Perez after this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Mexican signed a new contract in June, but that hasn’t reduced the sense of inevitability.

Contracts in Formula 1 are notoriously unreliable. Red Bull let Daniel Ricciardo go midway through the season, while Logan Sargeant and Esteban Ocon also failed to make it to Abu Dhabi for different reasons.

But it remains exceedingly rare for a driver to be confirmed for the upcoming season, only to then lose his seat. This unfortunately reflects Perez’s alarming trajectory in 2024.

The 34-year-old has seldom beat Max Verstappen since he arrived in 2021, much like Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon before him. But unlike in past seasons, there has been nothing to salvage this campaign.

The gap to Verstappen is currently 277 points, which means it could still be lower than it was in 2023 (290). Crucially, though, he’s only amassed 35.4% of Verstappen’s points tally this time, compared to nearly 50% last year.

It follows that he’s cost the team the constructors’ championship. After they dropped out of mathematical contention in Qatar despite Verstappen’s win, Red Bull staff will see bonuses cut.

Sergio Perez now ‘has a desire not to continue’ at Red Bull in 2025

It seems Red Bull can’t activate a performance clause in Perez’s contract to allow for a clean break. Therefore, they need his agreement if they’re to change their line-up.

The deal he signed in June not only covered 2025, but also included an option for 2026. What’s more, there are no other seats available on the grid, condemning him to at least a year on the sidelines if he walks away.

And yet, according to FOX Sports Mexico, Perez now ‘has a desire not to continue’ at Red Bull. This information comes from ‘sources close to the team’.

Perhaps he simply feels burnt out at the end of a brutal campaign. While it’s hard to measure this objectively, it’s likely that he’s faced more external criticism than any other driver in 2024.

Sergio Perez’s comments just days before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix have aged poorly

Eddie Jordan says Verstappen is partly to blame for Perez’s woes. He believes that the Dutchman vetoed the signing of free agent Carlos Sainz because he knew he could comfortably beat his incumbent teammate.

That has kept Perez in a soul-destroying situation where an all-time F1 great thrashes him virtually every weekend. Had Red Bull moved for Sainz, then he could have slotted back into a midfield outfit, where he’s had success in the past.

Perez could be a contender for a 2026 Cadillac seat as the most experienced North American driver in F1 history. But the move would be seen as a gamble after a damaging end to his time at Red Bull.

Speaking in the pre-Qatar GP press conference just one week ago, Perez said he was ‘exactly’ 100% sure that he would stay put for 2025. Under pressure from Christian Horner and Helmut Marko, he’s changed his mind.