Sergio Perez is under pressure to perform amid growing scrutiny on the nature of his Red Bull contract extension.
The 34-year-old was recently given a two-year contract extension for 2025 and 2026, although it’s believed Red Bull has a team option for the second year, which is not guaranteed.
Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko had previously quipped Perez could “slack off” if he was given a contract extension early in the season, and the Mexican has had two DNFs in the past two races.
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At the Canadian Grand Prix, Perez drove the car back to the pits with serious damage to the rear ring, and he was handed a three-place grid penalty for this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix. Red Bull was also fined A$40,000 for the incident.
Consecutive Q1 exits have highlight Perez’s struggles in qualifying, something Marko believes is more down to “psychological” reasons than driving ability.
“It’s not the car, you can see that with Max. I think it’s more psychological,” Marko told ServusTV after the Canadian Grand Prix.
“It was close, and when the conditions change, he finds it much more difficult. But the fact that it’s already the third time (not in Q3) is painful.”
Speaking on the Drive to Wynn podcast, racing driver Justin Bell described Marko’s “psychological” comment as a “kiss of death”.
“Obviously, in contrast, Sergio Perez was dismal,” Bell said.
“Helmut Marko said by the way that he (Perez) has psychological issues which I’m sure in sportsman’s terms is a real kiss of death. So two years may seem like an eternity if we get there.”
The F1 season continues this weekend at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona — the first stop on a triple header that also includes races in Austria and Silverstone.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said: “Checo just needs to forget Canada 2024 and turn up in Barcelona and bounce back,” said Horner.
“We know that he’s very capable of doing that and I’m sure he’ll come back fighting hard in Barcelona.
“We need him up there scoring as he was in the first four races.”
“We extended his contract because we wanted to bring calm to our team, which unfortunately didn’t quite work out,” Mark told OE24.
“But now Checo has three races ahead of him on three real race tracks so he can prove himself.”
The wording of Red Bull’s announcement of Perez’s contract extension is now being analysed, with doubt over whether it is actually a two-year deal.
Horner said at the time “now is an important time to confirm our 2025 line-up”.
Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya told W Radio Colombia: “I heard a rumour that Christian Horner said (Perez’s contract) is one year plus option for another year. It’s not two years straight.
“To say that Checo has the contract for two years guaranteed is no such thing, (but) I would say the first year is very difficult to get him out unless all the races he does are like these last few.”
Perez made his F1 debut with Sauber back in 2011 and is confident he hasn’t signed his last contract after stints with McLaren, Force India, Racing Point and now Red Bull.
“Certainly when you look at Fernando (Alonso) or even Lewis (Hamilton), there’s a long way to go. But I think I didn’t sign my last contract. I don’t think I’ve done that.
“I don’t think it’s something that you feel, because when you commit to two years in Formula 1 it’s a lot of time, a lot of energy, and it’s a long way down the line.
“So, to be honest I don’t really think about that – but what I’m pretty sure about is that I want to finish my career at Red Bull.
“There were other options out there, but for me, my plan A, B, and C was definitely to stay at Red Bull.
“I really want to finish my career here, wherever that is. It’s a team that has given me so much into my career that I’m just really happy. I just want to give my best to this team until my last lap.”
With the departure of genius car designer Adrian Newey from Red Bull and a new era of regulations beginning in 2026, F1 is set to go through a period of transition.
Max Verstappen is contracted through to the end of 2028. He is on course for a fourth world championship this year, although the Dutchman is having to fight harder for race wins.
Perez’s extension shut the door on a return to Red Bull for Daniel Ricciardo, while reserve driver Liam Lawson is waiting in the wings desperate for a full-time seat.
Mercedes academy product Kimi Antonelli is set to join the grid and the teenager is seen as a future star of the sport.
Marko believes McLaren have the best driver pairing on the grid with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
“They are young and are always very close together, especially in qualifying,” he said.
“And both will improve, especially Piastri.”