What Red Bull figures are saying ‘off the record’ about Sergio Perez before Qatar Grand Prix

Sergio Perez once again struck a bullish tone on his Red Bull future ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. He was one of the six drivers who featured in the official FIA press conferences.

Perez gave a two-word reply when asked if he was 100% sure he would keep his seat for 2025 – ‘yeah, exactly’. He’s consistently repeated this message in recent months amid rampant speculation.

He has a contract for next year after penning an extension in June. The employment court sees Perez’s deal as watertight, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the matter is closed.

Red Bull could buy Perez out of his contract, though he’s told them that would require a £15.7m payout. Considering he only earns just over £11m per year (based on Spotrac figures) and the deal only guaranteed 2025, Christian Horner may object to that demand.

The other option is retirement. Ted Kravitz suspects Perez may partly want to leave based on recent comments about spending more time with his family, but there’s little indication that he’s planning to walk away.

Red Bull could mathematically drop out of contention for the constructors’ title this weekend. They’re currently 53 points behind McLaren and must close the gap to a maximum of 44 before Abu Dhabi, but that’s unlikely given Perez’s recent form.

Sergio Perez’s place at Red Bull in 2025 is not guaranteed, even if he says otherwise

Speaking on the Motorsport NL YouTube channel, Ronald Vording relayed Perez’s press conference comments. But he said they don’t tell the full story.

Behind the scenes, those within Red Bull who have knowledge of the situation say his place is far from ‘certain’. It all hinges on a meeting that’s due to take place after the Abu Dhabi.

Horner will come together with Helmut Marko and Red Bull’s shareholders to decide who should partner Verstappen. Perez survived a similar meeting during the summer break, but his predicament has deepened since then.

Vording said: “Sergio Perez was in the press conference today, and there he said ‘yes, I will definitely be in that Red Bull seat next year’. I have to say, I spoke to some people off the record, and they all said it’s not certain at all because it will only be decided after Abu Dhabi with the main players – Horner, Marko and the other shareholders. They say it’s not set in stone at all as Checo says it is.”

Where could Sergio Perez go if he loses his Red Bull drive?

It’s unclear if Perez will have the opportunity to continue in F1 if Red Bull find a way to axe him. It’s unlikely that they’ll offer him an RB seat given that they’ve preached the importance of promoting young talent.

There are no other vacancies on the 2025 grid. But after a year off, Perez could be on the list for Cadillac as an experienced driver who’s previously shone in midfield machinery.

If no opportunity arises, he may have to explore another series. Perez has held talks with the Formula E boss over joining the all-electric series in the future.

Danica Patrick believes Perez should retire and look back on his F1 career with pride. He’s won six races, bagged 39 podiums and helped his team win two constructors’ championships in 2022 and 2023.