Red-Bull-Star Pérez must face immediate dismissal
The superiority of Red Bull is history, Formula-1 dominators must arm themselves against a replacement at the top - and therefore consider a short-term driver change for Sergio Pérez.
Sergio Pérez has also taken time out with his family this weekend, possibly for all or nothing in relation to his stay at Red Bull. "Taking time out away from the noise of the race track can sometimes be particularly important," says the 34-year-old Mexican, who is under immense pressure at the world champion team. Team boss Christian Horner even described Pérez's form in recent times as "unsustainable," as he finished last in the qualifying (19th) and the race (17th) at Silverstone.
He can hardly be counted on any more, but Pérez is not throwing in the towel. While his teammate Max Verstappen leads the WM-classification of Formula 1 with 255 points, Pérez is not even halfway there. He managed to collect a mere 118 points, placing him sixth in the standings as the vice-world champion of 2023. After finishing in the top four in the first five races, Pérez finished twice as eighth, once as seventh, fell out twice, and the Silverstone debacle intensified the debate.
Above all, in the fight for the team standings, which determine the distribution of TV revenue to the racing teams, Pérez risks becoming a liability. The advantage of Red Bull (373 points) over Ferrari (302) and McLaren (295) has shrunk in recent times, and Mercedes (221) has shown clear improvement with two victories in a row in Austria and Great Britain. The Red Bull is no longer the only winning car, at least the McLaren seems to be evenly matched.
"We need two drivers at the front for the constructors' championship, and we still hope that Sergio Pérez will find his form again," wrote Red Bull's motor racing advisor Helmut Marko on the team's own online platform speedweek.com before the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday (3 p.m./Sky and live on ntv.de).
Marko also hinted that they would evaluate the situation during the summer break "and then we'll see further." In addition, he praised Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar, who took over Pérez's car in Silverstone for the first training session. The Frenchman leads the Formula-2 standings - the springboard for the motor racing king class - and could be promoted in 2025. In addition, the talent from New Zealand Liam Lawson, who is 22 years old, is waiting for his chance as a regular driver.
Given the current performance of Sergio Perez and the tight race for the constructors' championship, Red Bull Racing might consider exploring transfer and rumor possibilities, potentially bringing in a more formidable driver like McLaren's talent to strengthen their team. The potential arrival of Red Bull's juniors, such as Isack Hadjar or Liam Lawson, could also be a topic of discussion as Red Bull Racing evaluates its options during the summer break.
