Red Bull

Perez given Red Bull AXE threat with Ricciardo replacement lined up

Sergio Perez has underperformed at Red Bull in 2024

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Saturday 5 October 2024 18:13

Christian Horner has hinted that Sergio Perez could be replaced at Red Bull following Daniel Ricciardo’s axing from Formula 1.

Both drivers have underperformed for their respective teams during the 2024 season, with Perez’s future frequently called into question prior to the summer break.

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Despite a brief upsurge in performance at the Azerbaijan GP, the Mexican has failed to deliver consistently, and has not achieved a podium finish since the Chinese GP.

As McLaren have extended their lead above Red Bull in the constructors’ championship, Perez’s poor pace has also wounded Max Verstappen’s chances of the world drivers’ title, with the Dutchman consistently having to fight the dual threat of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri alone.

Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo have both underperformed this year

Sergio Perez has impacted Red Bull's championship chances

Will Red Bull replace Sergio Perez?

Perez will remain at Red Bull until at least the end of the season, and has been given a new contract, but the struggling Ricciardo was not afforded the same luxury and was axed from RB after the Singapore GP.

Liam Lawson will replace the 35-year-old for the remaining races of the season, but team boss Horner has revealed that his RB promotion could also have repercussions for Perez at the main team.

"Well of course in a perfect world that’s what we would’ve done [let Ricciardo see out the season]," Horner said on the F1 Nation podcast.

"But from a broader perspective we need answers for the bigger picture in terms of drivers, and with six races remaining, it’s a perfect opportunity to line Liam up alongside Yuki [Tsunoda] to see how he performs over the remaining six grands prix.

Red Bull are evaluating their driver line up options

"This goes beyond VCARB, it encompasses Red Bull Racing, we’ve got a contract with Sergio for next year but you’ve always got to have an eye out for what comes next.

"Is that going to be Liam, or do we need to look outside the pool or will one of the other juniors step up be that Isack Hadjar or Arvid Lindblad?"

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Sheona Mountford - F1 Journalist

Sheona Mountford is a motorsport journalist specialising in F1. As a writer and contributor, she covers a wide range of motorsport series from F1 to F1 Academy, responsible for breaking news, live race coverage and in depth analysis of the sport and the culture around it.

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Red Bull Formula 1 Christian Horner Daniel Ricciardo Sergio Perez Azerbaijan GP