Sergio Perez’s underperformance has become a glaring issue for Red Bull Racing as they find themselves trailing McLaren in the 2024 Constructors’ Championship. While the focus has largely been on the struggles of Red Bull’s RB20, another major factor in the team’s dip in form has been Perez’s inability to match the stellar performances of his teammate, Max Verstappen. This gap between the two drivers has pushed team principal Christian Horner to issue a stark warning—Red Bull needs answers, and fast.
Perez, who joined Red Bull in 2021 and initially seemed to solve the team’s long-standing second driver problem, now finds himself at a critical crossroads. Verstappen, despite facing his own challenges with the car, remains in the hunt for his fourth drivers’ title. In sharp contrast, Perez has contributed only a fraction of the points Verstappen has amassed, a disparity that has raised questions about whether the Mexican driver can continue in his current role.
The six-time race winner’s recent form has done little to inspire confidence, with just 13 points collected over the last four races. Red Bull’s frustrations have become evident, with Horner candidly stating that the team can no longer afford such a significant performance gap between their drivers, especially with fierce competition on the horizon.
“We desperately need answers,” Horner emphasized. “Ferrari will be strong next year with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are also formidable. We need both of our drivers performing at the highest level to stay competitive, and that can’t happen with a big gap between them.”
Red Bull’s 2024 campaign has been marred by a combination of mechanical issues and Perez’s inconsistency. Although the Mexican driver has remained optimistic ahead of the upcoming U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, fans and critics alike are skeptical. Red Bull is set to introduce upgrades at the Circuit of the Americas, but Perez himself acknowledged that the Sprint weekend format—offering only one practice session before qualifying—leaves little room for error.
“We’re coming into Austin aiming for improvements,” Perez said. “We’ve made some changes during the break, and I’m hopeful the car will be more stable. The Sprint format makes it tricky, but teamwork is where we excel.”
Despite Perez’s hopeful outlook, his future at Red Bull is hanging by a thread. The team’s patience is clearly wearing thin, and with heavyweights like Ferrari and McLaren breathing down their necks, Red Bull cannot afford to carry any dead weight. If Perez fails to deliver strong performances in the final rounds of the season, his seat could be up for grabs in 2025.
With only a handful of races left, Perez’s Red Bull career could hinge on what happens next. He has little time to prove his worth and re-establish himself as a reliable second driver capable of keeping the team in the hunt for titles. Should he fall short, Red Bull’s tolerance may finally reach its limit, forcing the team to look elsewhere for a driver who can keep pace with Verstappen.
