Bringing his automobile to a cease after a success from Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Pérez will need to have recognized that might possible be his last act as a Crimson Bull Components One driver.
On the finish of a disappointing — in his personal phrases, “horrible” — yr, Pérez didn’t even get the possibility to finish a single lap within the Abu Dhabi season finale. The clout from Bottas, for which the Sauber driver was penalized, precipitated Pérez’s RB20 to lose energy and are available to a halt.
It denied Pérez the possibility to log off from F1 2024 on a constructive notice. However talking after the retirement, he admitted for the primary time he could not race for Crimson Bull in 2025.
“We’re speaking to try to see what’s finest going ahead, and we’ll see what occurs within the coming days,” Pérez mentioned. He added he and the workforce would “talk about what’s the scenario for each events and see if we’re in a position to attain an settlement.”
It grew to become clear heading to Abu Dhabi that Pérez’s time at Crimson Bull was operating out. The workforce had misplaced out on the constructors’ championship, ending the season third behind McLaren and Ferrari — and, with it, the related prize cash. It’s solely the third time since 2000 that the drivers’ champion, Verstappen, doesn’t drive for the constructors’ champion.
On the finish of a yr of hypothesis about Pérez’s future, it finally appears that Crimson Bull determined sufficient was sufficient and {that a} change is required for 2025.
Till Sunday, Pérez had been defiant — that he could be at Crimson Bull subsequent yr, regardless of his underperformance this season, scoring barely one-third of Max Verstappen’s factors whole and failing to complete on the rostrum since spherical 5 in China. As he saved saying, he had signed a contract extension in June.
Pérez caught to his weapons about his 2025 contract by Thursday’s media day. After qualifying on Saturday, he nonetheless didn’t entertain a considered Sunday being his final race with Crimson Bull, saying there was “nothing new so as to add to what I’ve been saying earlier than.”
The change in tune from Pérez on Sunday was additionally current in Crimson Bull’s post-race press launch. In it, the workforce quoted Pérez as saying: “We’ll see what occurs within the coming days, I don’t know what will occur in the mean time, I’ve a contract and the workforce and I’ve been speaking. It’s a case of discussing what’s the finest for everyone shifting forwards.”
Talks began in Abu Dhabi between Pérez’s camp and Crimson Bull about engaged on the settlement that Pérez referred to, basically a deal for him to surrender the race seat for subsequent yr. Given Pérez’s contribution to Crimson Bull’s current success in F1, some sort of ambassadorial position is definitely on the desk.
Pérez scored 65 factors for the reason that Chinese language GP in April. Verstappen scored 337 factors. (Photograph by Mark Thompson/Getty Photographs)
After the race, Crimson Bull workforce principal Christian Horner mentioned the workforce needed to sit down down with Pérez and “work out what’s the proper and acceptable means ahead.” He highlighted Pérez’s efforts on the workforce, significantly the 2 constructors’ titles and his help for Max Verstappen on the 2021 finale in Abu Dhabi. Regardless of the problem of 2024, there stays a whole lot of respect for the driving force at Crimson Bull.
“Sitting right here now, he’s nonetheless our driver,” Horner mentioned. “So it could be incorrect for me to take a position on what subsequent yr could appear to be till he and I’ve sat down and mentioned this yr, and we replicate on it as a workforce.”
However Horner additionally mentioned the drop to 3rd within the championship confirmed why having two drivers persistently scoring was essential, particularly going into one other aggressive season in 2025. “Ferrari will likely be robust with their line-up subsequent yr,” he mentioned. “McLaren have a robust line-up. Mercedes could have an inexperienced driver in one in all their seats. And so for us, it’s crucial that each of our drivers are delivering and there’s not a big hole.”
As soon as Pérez’s presumed exit is agreed upon, Crimson Bull’s subsequent job will likely be to determine who will race alongside Verstappen. Horner mentioned the four-time champion is the “hardest teammate on the earth to have.”
All of the indicators in Abu Dhabi pointed to RB’s Liam Lawson getting the nod and changing into a Crimson Bull Racing driver in 2025. The New Zealander retired late in Abu Dhabi after an earlier unfastened wheel price him the possibility to combat for factors, and he solely has 11 F1 races to his title. Nevertheless, he has all the time been extremely regarded inside the Crimson Bull setup, significantly by adviser Helmut Marko. Crimson Bull additionally has a historical past of backing such inexperience, selling Alex Albon to grow to be Verstappen’s teammate after solely 12 races in 2019. Lawson, 22, has only one retirement and 6 factors.
Selling Lawson could be a blow to Yuki Tsunoda, who certified forward in all six races they spent as teammates this yr. Tsunoda, 24, has raced for RB since 2021 and made first rate progress annually, but doubts seem to linger from Crimson Bull over selling him to the senior squad.
“I believe Liam, in difficult circumstances, he’s finished an excellent job,” Horner mentioned post-race in Abu Dhabi. “In case you analyze what he’s finished within the time that he’s had and the race tempo that he’s had, I believe he’s finished job.
“I believe Yuki has finished job. Within the occasion that something had been determined with Checo, they’d be the candidates that we’d look in the direction of.”
If Crimson Bull named Lawson as Verstappen’s teammate for 2025, it could open up a seat alongside Tsunoda at RB that appears more likely to be crammed by Isack Hadjar. Hadjar, 20, completed runner-up on this yr’s F2 standings and took part in two F1 apply classes for Crimson Bull in 2024. He hinted in Qatar that he already knew his plans for 2025, having emerged because the main teenager in Crimson Bull’s junior program ready to maneuver as much as F1.
Sergio Perez walks to his storage after the qualifying session forward of the Abu Dhabi Components One Grand Prix. (HAMAD I MOHAMMED/POOL/AFP through Getty Photographs)
Pérez’s struggles by 2024 have been powerful to observe. He began robust, scoring 4 podiums within the first 5 races. At Suzuka, a real ‘driver’s observe’ the place Verstappen’s pure presents come to the fore, he was inside a tenth of taking pole. When his type began to dip, Crimson Bull thought the brand new contract would offer the backing and increase he wanted. Horner admitted on Friday that it merely “didn’t work.”
That effort to assist Pérez has left the workforce in its present place, attempting to work out agreeable phrases for his exit and ending a rollercoaster four-season partnership. Horner mentioned there was “no instant rush” to work issues out, however a swift decision would absolutely go well with all events.
It could give Crimson Bull the possibility to show the web page and put full concentrate on 2025 — and, presuming he will get the seat, give Lawson probably the most period of time to arrange for probably the most formidable job in all of racing: being Verstappen’s teammate. It’s a job that Pérez warned on Thursday, maybe understanding how the wind was blowing, could be an enormous take a look at for any younger driver.
“Being teammates with Max at Crimson Bull as a younger driver, I wouldn’t wish to be in these footwear, if I’m trustworthy,” Pérez mentioned.
“Folks can not underestimate the extent of problem that there’s on this seat.”
High picture: Mark Thompson/Getty Photographs