The current agreement of Sergio Perez with Red Bull is set to expire at the end of 2024, and the Mexican driver is seeking to secure a contract extension from the Milton Keynes-based team.
Sergio Perez and Helmut Marko photographed outside the Red Bull headquarters.
Red Bull and its team have been dominant in the world of Formula 1 over the past two seasons. However, Perez has struggled to emerge from the shadow of his teammate, who is a world champion. The Mexican driver’s current contract is coming to an end this year. In light of this, Red Bull’s Motorsport Consultant, Helmut Marko, emphasized how Perez could secure a new contract from the Milton Keynes-based team.
Sergio Perez had a challenging season in 2023. Despite winning two races early on, the 34-year-old driver fell considerably behind Max Verstappen’s record-breaking performances. As a result, rumors about Perez’s future in the team emerged. However, the Mexican driver managed to solidify his position with some decent performances towards the end of the season.
Helmut Marko stated that Perez needed to continue his impressive form from the latter part of the previous season. The octogenarian believed that such results would effortlessly secure a contract extension for the 34-year-old driver with Red Bull. Previously, Marko had expressed that Perez’s seat for 2025 in Milton Keynes was his to lose. Perez’s seat is undoubtedly one of the most desirable positions on the current grid, with the Mexican earning a base salary of $10 million.
Perez has been resolute in his ambition to challenge Max Verstappen for the F1 championship in 2024. The Mexican driver seeks to bounce back after a disappointing season compared to the Dutch driver. However, it may be difficult for the 34-year-old driver to surpass the three-time world champion again this season. Consequently, this could open the door for someone like Daniel Ricciardo to potentially replace Perez.
Max Verstappen has expressed great admiration for the Red Bull RB-20. The Dutch driver was delighted with the car’s performance during pre-season, as it perfectly suited his driving style. This could potentially hinder Sergio Perez’s aspirations, as he has often struggled to adapt to the Red Bull machine compared to the three-time world champion.
Perez mentioned that Red Bull has taken a bold approach with their 2024 car. The 34-year-old driver seemed to have performed well in pre-season testing in Bahrain. However, it remains to be seen if Sergio Perez can salvage his F1 career in Milton Keynes with a satisfactory campaign in 2024.
