24/10/2024
NEWS STORY
Sergio Perez is sent a clear warning that having a contract for 2025 means nothing.
With his drive already hanging by a thread, the Mexican's future at Red Bull took another sizable hit last weekend when Liam Lawson, on his first outing for RB since replacing Daniel Ricciardo, finished ninth.
The New Zealander finished just two positions, and ten seconds, behind the Mexican despite starting from the back of the grid after taking on a new engine.
Looking set to be dropped over the summer break, Perez was given a reprieve for the remainder of the season, however, as opposed to grabbing the opportunity with both hands he has continued to disappoint.
Though he has a contract for 2025, Helmut Marko has warned that contracts count for nothing, the Austrian's mood hardly helped by the fact that as Max Verstappen battles Lando Norris for the drivers' title, the constructors' title is also at risk.
"Perez may have a contract, but Formula 1 is a meritocracy," he tells F1-Insider. "If the performance is not right, even contracts are useless.
"At the end of the season, we will sit down together and decide who is the best team-mate for Verstappen at Red Bull," adds the Austrian.
In recent weeks there has been media speculation that rather than get the 'Ricciardo treatment', Perez would announce his retirement following this weekend's home race, however the Mexican has denied this.
"It's a rumour," Marko told Sky Germany of the claim. "He himself says there is no truth in it. Let's see, but he has to improve his performance."
In Austin, Christian Horner, who has continued to defend Perez, much like he did Ricciardo, admitted that the Mexican's performances risk Red Bull losing out.
"They've been very, very strong," he said of Ferrari following its 1-2. "And they've got two drivers that are competing at the front.
"McLaren, likewise, their drivers, there's not a big deficit between them," he added. "So, you know, that's where we really need for the constructors' to have Checo come into play.
"Hopefully, with the support that he'll receive in Mexico, it'll, again, it'll give him that boost," said the Briton. "When you qualify out of position, you lose so much time coming through tail-end cars in the top ten that you've then lost contact with the rest of the race."