Sergio Perez’s seat at Red Bull is hanging by a thread as he faces mounting scrutiny after a disastrous Mexican GP performance, with team principal Christian Horner describing his home race as a “horrible weekend.” Perez’s troubles began in qualifying, where he was knocked out in Q1 alongside McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. A promising start in Sunday’s race quickly unraveled due to a grid misalignment penalty, followed by a damaging clash with Liam Lawson, ultimately leading to a 17th-place finish.
“Checo again has had a horrible weekend,” Horner admitted. “Nothing has gone right for him. He knows Formula 1 is a results-based business, and inevitably when you are not delivering, the spotlight is firmly on you.” The Red Bull boss highlighted the need for both cars to consistently score points, a benchmark that Perez has struggled to meet in recent races.
While Red Bull is providing Perez with support, Horner hinted that patience may be wearing thin. “There comes a point in time that you can only do so much,” Horner remarked, refusing to confirm Perez’s spot beyond the upcoming Brazilian GP. “There comes a point in time that difficult decisions have to be made.”
Horner acknowledged that the damage Perez sustained after his collision with Lawson made a top-10 recovery impossible, as the car lost significant downforce from a damaged sidepod and floor. “Unfortunately, Checo was effectively wounded,” Horner explained. “Scoring points was never going to be on the cards.”
Despite the challenging race, Horner affirmed Red Bull’s independence from its sister team, AlphaTauri, highlighting that Lawson’s aggressive move exemplifies how both teams race competitively.
With Red Bull’s third-place standing in the Constructors’ Championship on the line, Perez’s future is uncertain. If he cannot deliver results in the final four races, Red Bull may be forced to make a bold move to secure a stronger lineup in the 2025 season.
