What’s next for Checo Pérez? Facts, sayings and scenarios
Once the F1 season is over, what’s next for Checo Pérez? Are you leaving or staying at Red Bull?
Sergio Perez finished its fourteenth season in the Formula 1 In the midst of much speculation and results below the expectations and objectives set by the Mexican driver and his team, the Red Bull. Now, what’s next in his future is up in the air. Return in 2025 to fulfill the contract he signed in June or a premature departure from it.
But what are the Immediate steps for Checo Pérez once the 2024 F1 season is over?
First, a meeting with Red Bull managementwhich in theory would be on Monday in Abu Dhabi, where the possibilities of him remaining in the team are considered, what role that would be for that permanence or if he leaves and under what circumstances that departure would occur or even considering a legal confrontation.
It depends on that meeting what follows and when it is announced. Let’s analyze the information we have.
The facts
Beyond reports, interpretations or assumptions are the facts and numbers, which are irrefutable, until another fact appears to nullify them.
Checo Pérez has a contract with Red Bull for 2025 and with the option to extend until 2026. This deal that was signed on June 4, 2024, after the Monaco Grand Prix (just when the Mexican driver’s problems began) contains clauses and conditions that only those involved know and that until they are an exit is applied or a termination is made, it is in force.
Checo Pérez was eighth in the World Drivers Championshipwhich makes his 2024 season the worst in terms of position in the table since 2019, when he was tenth with Racing Point.
The 152 points achieved by Checo Pérez are the Mexican’s worst harvest in four years with Red Bullin addition to averaging 6.33 points per event, after 24 calendar dates compared to 8.33 in 2021, 13.86 in 2022 and 12.95 in 2023.
In the 10 Grands Prix that began in Austria and ended in Mexico, Red Bull had zero victories and four podiums. It is a fact that the performance of the RB20 car went down in numbers after the Spanish GP, but in performance before. The team that had added seven wins and 12 podiums suffered due to the car’s balance.
Checo Pérez will have a meeting with the Red Bull board, at a place and date not disclosed.
The sayings
Almost as important as the facts are the sayings, the formal statements of the actors in this plot, who, of course, are, mainly, Checo Pérez and Christian Horner.
On Thursday, December 5, media day prior to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Czech Perez He went through the famous corralito to appear before the written press and television stations with F1 broadcast rights where he insisted that he has a current contract.
“Nothing has changed from before, in terms of what I have said for the whole year. I have a contract for next yearand I will be driving for Red Bull next year. I have already said it. Nothing more to add. I have a contract for next year, so nothing more to add,” said Checo Pérez repeatedly.
But on Sunday, after his abandonment in the last GP of 2024, Checo Pérez changed his speech and confirmed that there are negotiationswhether to stay or agree to a departure.
“We will be talking in the coming days and We will discuss the situation of both parties and see if we can reach an agreement. If not, like I said, I have a contract. for next year,” he declared.
For its part, Christian Horner always praised Checo Pérez’s contributions to Red Bull, before assessing the Mexican’s poor performance and reported that he wouldwould come together to make a decision about their future.
“Sergio is our pilot. He is still our driver hired by the team. And obviously this season hasn’t gone according to anyone’s plans, especially with Checo’s performance.
“There is great respect for Checo in the team and no one likes to see him go through difficult times like the ones he has had. Until the situation is clear with what Sergio wants to do, teverything else is pure speculation.
“Since Monaco, it has been very, very difficult for him. So, inevitably, once we get through this race, we will sit down and discuss the future,” the main team commented on Friday in Abu Dhabi.
After the race, Horner remained on the line that everything said now is speculation and that the meeting with Checo will define everything.
“Obviously Those discussions will happen between Checo and the team. Well, now we get the season out of the way, sit down with him and reflect on the season. “He has done a lot for this team and we will sit back and reflect on this season and how we move forward.”
“There is no rush. “We have all the options that are available to us internally,” Horner said.
He was even asked at the press conference he does with the media, after each race, about possible replacements for Pérez.
“I think that Liamin difficult circumstances, he has done a very good job. If you analyze what he has done and in the time he has had and the race pace he has had, I think he has done a good job.” “I think that Yuki has done a good job. In the event that something was decided with Checo, it would be the candidates,” Horner said.
Possible scenarios for Checo Pérez
The first optionaccording to information collected by AM850’s Nate Saunders, Checo Pérez would stop being a Red Bull driver in 2025that is a possible scenario, which can take a wide variety of forms, whether through a quick agreement between team and driver, a more extensive negotiation or litigation over differences in terms of departure.
Other sources consulted by Saunders point to a solution, let’s call it intermediate, which would contemplate that Checo Pérez was no longer Red Bull’s starting driver, but he was its brand ambassador for ‘showruns’ and appearances at marketing events.
The AM850 note highlights that Christian Horner has argued in Abu Dhabi in recent days, several meetings with Checo Pérez’s agent, Julian Jakobiin order to advance proposals and prepare points of agreement.
That ambassador role would an F1 driver salarywhich according to sources, would be around 8 million dollars.
The third optionthe most complicated and remote, is that Checo Pérez will continue as a Red Bull driver in 2025. Contrary to what is speculated, this decision is not exclusive to the pilot, but it is the one that the Mexican would prefer.
For this to happen, Red Bull would have had to come to the conclusion that none of the possible replacements for Checo Pérez, who are nothing more than Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunodacould be Max Verstappen’s teammate.
The French pilot, Isaac Hadjarwho was close to winning the Formula 2 title, would enter, as happens with all the drivers who emerged from the Red Bull Junior Teamto Racing Bulls (VCARB) in the place left by the one who was promoted to the place left by Checo.
Given the facts, statements and possible scenarios raised, the most likely resolution seems to be the departure of Checo Pérez from Red Bul through a friendly agreement, although it is unlikely that he will accept the role of ambassador that is being proposed..
