Mexican F1 star tipped for shock IndyCar move

Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull, Abu Dhabi, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Mexican F1 star tipped for shock IndyCar move

Sergio Perez announced his exit from Red Bull

Originally written by Sheona Mountford. This version is a translation.

Sunday 29 December 2024 21:00

Sergio Perez has been tipped for a shock move outside of Formula 1, after he was removed from his Red Bull seat this month.

The Mexican star's hold on his place in the team looked tenuous all year, as he could only drag his car to a distant eighth place, while team-mate Max Verstappen won the drivers' title.

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Frequent Q1 exits and pointless finishes from Perez contributed to Red Bull’s third place finish in the constructors’, with speculation mounting that he was to be replaced towards the end of the season.

Eventually, Perez confirmed he would be leaving the team in 2025, with Red Bull replacing him with their junior driver Liam Lawson.

Sergio Perez received hefty criticism in 2024

Liam Lawson will drive alongside Max Verstappen in 2025

Will Perez return to F1?

However, the 34-year-old has been tipped to make a racing return outside of F1, in a career lifeline for Perez.

Former McLaren mechanic Marc Priestley discussed a potential move to American racing series IndyCar, due to the popularity of Perez.

IndyCar has welcomed various ex-F1 stars in recent years, including Romain Grosjean, Marcus Ericsson and Alexander Rossi, with the Perez tipped to be the latest recruit to the series.

"Sergio Perez has a massive fan base and huge commercial support behind him,” he said via Casino Uden Rofus.

READ MORE: Hamilton set to ditch key partner

“He can compete in another form of racing, IndyCar might be the obvious choice right now but it will come down to his personal decision.

“Sometimes, drivers come towards to the end of their long F1 careers and when they come to the end of their time in the sport, they might want to prioritise time with family.

“Perez has multiple options ahead of him though, I don't doubt it."

Red Bull Max Verstappen Mercedes McLaren Sergio Perez IndyCar