Max Verstappen, the winner of the Sprint race, and his Red Bull Racing teammate Sergio Perez were seen together in the parc ferme after the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, China, on April 20, 2024. This race was part of the Formula 1 World Championship, which took place on Qualifying Day.
Ralf Schumacher recently suggested that Max Verstappen’s salary and Sergio Perez’s sponsorship agreements played a role in Red Bull’s decision to extend Perez’s contract. Despite a strong start to the 2024 season, Perez has struggled in the last two races, failing to advance to Q3 and only earning four points. However, Red Bull announced that Perez has signed a new two-year contract extension, ensuring that he will continue to race alongside Verstappen until the end of the 2026 season. Verstappen’s championship ambitions are not threatened by Perez, and their harmonious relationship is believed to be one of the reasons for his retention.
Schumacher mentioned that Verstappen’s estimated salary of $70 million was a factor taken into consideration by Red Bull when considering Perez’s future with the team. Perez’s commercial agreements with Mexican brands Claro, Telcel, Disney, KitKat, and Nescafe also provide additional funds for Red Bull. These financial considerations are important for Red Bull, as their title ambitions have been challenged by both Ferrari and McLaren this season. The gap in the Constructors’ Championship has narrowed to 24 points after Ferrari’s success in Monaco and Red Bull’s difficulties.
Malgré les récentes difficultés de Perez, le patron de l’équipe Red Bull, Christian Horner, a souligné l’importance pour les deux pilotes de se présenter au mieux. Il a reconnu la menace posée par Ferrari et McLaren dans les deux championnats et a souligné la nécessité pour les deux voitures de marquer des points de manière constante. Horner a abordé la performance décevante de Perez à Monaco, en affirmant que le week-end avait été difficile pour lui. Cependant, il a rejeté l’idée que ces difficultés affecteraient le processus de prise de décision de Red Bull concernant le deuxième siège aux côtés de Verstappen. Horner a déclaré que l’équipe prendrait une décision en temps voulu, sans être affectée par les événements récents.
