Sergio Perez could be about to take part in his final Formula 1 race as a Red Bull Racing driver.
Red Bull will decide after the upcoming Abu Dhabi Grand Prix whether Sergio Perez is the driver they want to partner Max Verstappen next season.
Christian Horner has urged Perez to decide on his future after yet another disappointing weekend.
A last-place finish in the Sprint Race was followed up by a retirement from Sunday’s Grand Prix.
He was running in fifth place which would have represented his best finish since securing a podium in China all the way back in April.
Verstappen has gone on to win a fourth consecutive championship this year, which makes any of Perez’s complaints about the car much more difficult to take seriously.
Red Bull have apologised to Perez for the performance of his car, but the 34-year-old looks bereft of confidence.
Ted Kravitz was speaking on Ted’s Notebook about Perez and a potential exit from the team.
He appears to think it’s quite likely and one report suggests Red Bull will part ways with Perez over the winter break.
However, Kravitz believes that one factor is ‘complicating’ the decision for the team and it’s not an easy one to solve.
Red Bull dropping Sergio Perez complicated by lack of standing alternative
Talking about Perez’s future, Kravitz said: “That’s the other complicating thing, just like Daniel Ricciardo, we’re not seeing anybody standing out in the seat, any of the Red Bull drivers and saying, I’m the one to replace Checo for next year, are we?
“I mean Liam Lawson’s having a mare at the moment at RB and maybe it’s Yuki Tsunoda, let’s see how the test goes when he tests this year’s RB20 after the Abu Dhabi weekend.
I suppose that’s a secondary problem for Christian Horner and Helmut Marko.
“The primary problem is what do we do about Checo and by saying to us on TV and I think he’s saying there in the press is that he’s going to leave it up to Checo.
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“Checo’s old enough and wise enough to know what he wants to do now, then that at least puts the issue into Checo’s court and offers Checo an elegant way of saying, do you know what, it’s not working out for me at the moment, let’s end this unhappy period.
“And if he thinks he’s not going to get any better, that’s up to Checo, so that will be in Checo’s mind.
“Listen, for all we know, Checo might say it’s something about this car, let me try next year’s car and then I’ll make a decision.”
Kravitz also suggested it might cost £20m to pay off Perez’s contract should they part ways at the end of the year, meaning Red Bull have to weigh up just how much it could cost them to potentially have another disappointing season in the Constructors’ Championship if they retain the 34-year-old.
Who is the best option to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull?
Ahead of the race in Qatar, there appeared to be three names on the shortlist to replace Perez.
Franco Colapinto has been ruled out by Helmut Marko and another crash during the race didn’t help his cause, even if he wasn’t at fault.
Yuki Tsunoda is the most senior option available to Red Bull, but there are concerns within Red Bull about Tsunoda that seem to make a promotion unlikely.
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Liam Lawson is therefore Red Bull’s standout candidate even if he had a race to forget in Qatar.
A crash with Valtteri Bottas earned him a penalty and a switch onto the soft tyres all but ended his and Tsunoda’s hopes of scoring points.
Had Red Bull made an earlier decision on Perez’s future, the likes of Carlos Sainz or other more established stars on the grid may have been available.
Instead, the team have backed themselves into an uncomfortable corner.
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