Sergio Perez has revealed that he was battling a serious reliability issue with his Red Bull RB20 even before contact with Valtteri Bottas led to his retirement from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

And he has claimed that a “lack of desire and professionalism” is not behind his disappointing F1 2024 season as his Red Bull departure edges closer.

Sergio Perez reveals true cause of Abu Dhabi GP retirement

Additional reporting by Pablo Hidalgo and Thomas Maher

PlanetF1.com understands that Perez is set to be dropped for the F1 2025 season, having struggled throughout the 2024 campaign.

The Mexican driver failed to register a podium finish after the fifth round of the season in China back in April and trailed team-mate Max Verstappen by seven places and 285 points in the final standings.

It is understood that Liam Lawson, the Racing Bulls driver with just 11 grand prix appearances to his name, is likely to be named as Perez’s replacement in due course.

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Perez failed to make it beyond the opening lap in what could prove to be his last F1 start at last weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he spun after making contact with Bottas’s Sauber at the chicane.

However, it has emerged that Perez was struggling with a suspected transmission issue, which resulted in his car losing drive on the approach to the chicane.

It is thought the technical problem would have resulted in his retirement regardless of the collision with Bottas moments later.

Speaking to DAZN Spain after his DNF, Perez confirmed that the issue slowed him down every time he changed gear at the start of the Abu Dhabi GP.

He said: “I think the engine was damaged before the touch [with Bottas].

“Every time I changed gear, the clutch slipped.

“I think the problem came from before because on the straights I was losing a lot of time every time I changed gear.

Then I had contact in the back and when I got the car back, the clutch was already engaged.”

Having arrived in Abu Dhabi insistent that he will see out his Red Bull contract – due to expire at the end of the F1 2026 season – Perez conceded after the race that negotiations are underway with the team “to see what’s best moving forward” for next year.

Nico Rosberg, the 2016 World Champion, has claimed that Perez is seeking around $16million in compensation if Red Bull proceed with plans to replace him for F1 2025.

Perez went on to reveal that he is “very calm” about his future, dismissing suggestions that a lack of professionalism has resulted in his poor performances this year.

He said: “I’m very calm because I gave everything from start to finish.

“In the end things didn’t work out this season, but it wasn’t for lack of desire or lack of professionalism or anything like that.

“When you give everything and you leave everything you have [out there], I think that’s the way a sportsman can be calm and that’s the way I am.

“I’m calm with whatever comes and well, we’ll see what happens.”

Perez indicated that any split with Red Bull is unlikely to signal the end of his F1 career, adding: “‘We have a lot of things to do in F1. I wouldn’t say it’s the end.

“This has been much bigger than just one driver. It’s been a country and a continent behind me. There are still important moments left for all of us.

“We’ll see what happens, but I’m sure it won’t be the end.”

In an exclusive interview with PlanetF1.com at the Abu Dhabi GP, meanwhile, Lawson declared himself ready to partner Verstappen at Red Bull.

And he played down concerns that he could follow in the footsteps of Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon, who both struggled alongside Verstappen after quick ascents from the Racing Bulls junior team.

He said: “I don’t know what they felt when they were there.

“You can always look at it as an outsider and think: ‘This is what it looks like they felt.’ But I don’t know what it was like for them.

“I believe, for anybody to go up against Max, you have to be realistic and know that he’s the fastest guy on the grid right now and that you’re not going to be outqualifying the guy by half a second.

“It’s not going to be something that’s really going to be happening. For me, it’s more the opportunity that’s there to learn from the best.

“For me as a driver, to be able to go in against the guy who’s won four world championships and is well seasoned… he’s been in that car for a long time.

“That car is almost… not developed around him, but he’s been a massive part of developing that car and understands it very well.

“In terms of how to drive it, it’s all right there on paper.

“When you see all the data that he brings in, for me as a driver to be alongside that, to be able to learn from him and have all that access, I think that’s what’s exciting for me about the opportunity… if that opportunity was to come in the future.”

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