Red Bull admits handing Perez early contract “didn’t work”

Crimson Bull group principal Christian Horner has admitted that giving Sergio Perez an early contract extension this 12 months to attempt to clear the Mexican’s thoughts of worries “didn’t work”.

The Milton Keynes-based squad is anticipated to make a name on its 2025 driver line-up subsequent week, with mounting hypothesis that it may elect to drop Perez in favour of considered one of its RB children Liam Lawson or Yuki Tsunoda.

This comes regardless of Crimson Bull having prolonged Perez’s contract again in June till the top of 2026, primarily based on his robust begin to the season and since the outfit didn’t need him to be involved about his place throughout the squad.

However with Perez’s type having dipped ever since he signed his deal, Horner has not shied away from admitting that issues didn’t end up the best way that the group had wished.

“Clearly, on the time, Sergio was performing extraordinarily nicely,” mentioned Horner concerning the pondering of going early with the deal.

“I feel he had 4 podiums within the first 5 races and, in an effort to settle his thoughts and lengthen that run of type for the remainder of the season, we elected to go early – which clearly did not work. That is simply life generally.

Sergio Perez, Crimson Bull Racing RB20

Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs

“However I feel with Checo you need to look past this 12 months for the contribution that he is made to our group. He is been an ideal group participant. He is an ideal individual. He is extraordinarily common throughout the group. He is labored very laborious over the 4 years that he is been with us and he is performed an important position within the constructors’ championships that we have received, the 5 grand prix victories that he had in our automobile.

“It has been essentially the most profitable pairing that we have ever had, ending first and second within the drivers’ championship final 12 months.”

Horner mentioned that no one was pleased that issues had not turned out as anticipated with Perez, with the assembly of shareholders to debate the long run set for Monday.

However repeating current remarks about suggesting the ball was in Perez’s court docket with reference to his future, it appears clear that some contractual deal will must be made for a change on the squad.

Requested if Crimson Bull had made its thoughts up about which driver it wished alongside Max Verstappen in 2025, Horner mentioned: “We’re lucky that we have an amazing pool of expertise.

“It was good to see Isack Hadjar getting a run out as nicely in free follow. We have got two gifted drivers in VCARB [RB], so till the state of affairs is obvious with Sergio and what he needs to do, all the pieces else is solely hypothesis.”

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