Sergio Perez’s Red Bull career hanging by a thread

Sergio Perez’s Formula 1 career appears over following a disastrous Mexico GP and comments from his Red Bull team.

Sergio Perez appears to be a Formula 1 dead man walking, with his Red Bull team and potentially with the sport altogether.

The 34-year-old has won six Grands Prix, five of them with Red Bull Racing, and was runner-up in last year’s drivers’ championship to runaway teammate Max Verstappen.

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The Mexican has had a miserable 2024 campaign, however, failing to secure a victory and sitting a lowly eighth in this year’s title race.

His season — and his career — hit a fresh low on Monday (AEDT) when he finished 17th at his beloved home Grand Prix, the last car home of those that finished the race.

The Red Bull team has already showed Daniel Ricciardo the door this season and Perez appears certain to join him, judging by comments from team principal Christian Horner and senior adviser Helmut Marko.

Christian Horner and Sergio Perez. Photos: Getty Images

Asked if the man known as “Checo” will finish the season after the dismal result in Mexico City, Horner replied: “Look, it’s a performance-based business. There comes a point in time that difficult decisions have to be made.”

The Milton Keynes-based outfit has spent the entire season waiting and hoping for a turnaround from their No. 2 man.

Instead, Verstappen (362 points) has fought a lone battle out in front, still ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris (315 points) atop the standings, despite a sixth-placed finish to the Brit’s second on Monday.

Perez’s dad Antonio might remain adamant his son is going to win a world title, but it appears highly unlikely it’ll be in the F1 world, based on Marko’s comments following Checo’s 18th place in qualifying at his home track.

Perez and Horner talk in the garage prior to the race in Mexico. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

It was his worst ever qualifying result at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

“The hoped-for upturn that we all expected has unfortunately not materialised,” Marko told Sky Deutschland.

“He complained on the radio about his brake problems. At least that’s what I heard.

“We have to see what exactly was going on, but unfortunately, the recovery that we all expected did not happen.”

Kiwi Liam Lawson has inherited Ricciardo’s seat at the back-up VCARB outfit, alongside fellow young gun Yuki Tsunoda.

One of those drivers would appear best placed to take over Perez’s spot alongside Verstappen in 2025 and beyond should they make a change.

Helmut Marko has been typically blunt once again. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Tsunoda crashed out on the first lap in Mexico, while Lawson finished 16th, but not before an ongoing battle with Perez.

Checo and Lawson had two key duels during the racing, with the Mexican calling Lawson an “idiot” at one stage, complaining about debris left on the track by the New Zealander.

Lawson flipped the bird back at the home favourite in a spicy emerging rivalry.

Lawson later apologised while explaining the reason for his cheeky rude gesture.

“He spent half the lap blocking me, trying to ruin my race, so I was upset,” Lawson said.

“But it’s not an excuse. I shouldn’t have done it and I apologise for that.

“It’s not in my character and I shouldn’t have done it.”

Perez took his comments a little further after the race, suggesting Lawson isn’t made for F1.

Liam Lawson isn’t winning too many friends so far. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)

“I think the way he has come to Formula 1, I don’t think he has the right attitude for it,” he declared.

“He needs to be a bit more humble, you know.

“It’s like when you come to Formula 1, you’re obviously very hungry and so on, but you have to be as well respectful off-track and on-track.

“I don’t think he’s showing the right attitude to show a good pace for himself, because I think he’s a great driver and I hope for him that he can step back and learn from it.”

Fans were quick to respond to Horner’s comments about what it all means for the veteran Mexican.

“Yeah he’s gone,” was one comment.

“This is almost carbon copy to what he said regarding Ricciardo prior to Singapore ,” wrote another.

“Unfortunately, he just isn’t performing. He is a great driver when he is performing well but he’s too inconsistent,” offered a third.

There are now just four races remaining in the 2024 season, starting with the Brazilian Grand Prix this coming weekend.

Originally published as Sergio Perez’s Red Bull career hanging by a thread