Sergio Perez has ‘laughed at’ what he’s read about his future at Red Bull in ‘European media’

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Sergio Perez’s future at Red Bull is the last remaining source of intrigue in the Formula 1 driver market. Max Verstappen is waiting to discover the identity of his 2025 teammate, and RB boss Laurent Mekies needs clarity too.

If Perez keeps his drive, then Liam Lawson will almost certainly remain at RB alongside Yuki Tsunoda. But if Christian Horner and Helmut Marko decide to axe the Mexican, then Lawson could receive a promotion, though Red Bull may also sign Franco Colapinto.

Perez came into the year out of contract but eased doubts with a strong run of four podiums in the first five races. Soon after, he earned a two-year extension (on a one-plus-one basis).

But his form afterwards has been so abject that Red Bull have considered a change. He barely survived beyond the summer break – Max Verstappen’s camp thought Daniel Ricciardo would return.

Even though the Bulls stuck by Perez for the second half of the season, they remain entirely non-committal about 2025. He may have to make a breakthrough in the final three races to stand a chance.

Red Bull will have to make a ‘serious’ payout if they wish to cancel his deal. But he’s already cost them prize money in the constructors’ – they’ve fallen to third – and that could continue next year.

Sergio Perez laughs at European reporters for ‘inventing’ Red Bull stories

Speaking to Banorte, one of his sponsors in Mexico, on Instagram, Perez addressed the speculation over his future. He repeated his accusation that members of the European press lack professionalism.

Perez ultimately accepts the scrutiny that comes with his position. But he also ‘laughs’ when he reads ‘invented’ stories.

His camp have been consistently bullish. Perez’s father has hinted that he’ll stay at Red Bull, while the driver himself has maintained that Horner and Marko will honour his contract.

Perez said: “With humour, the truth is, I laugh at everything that is invented, what is said. Some, the truth is, I think not all, there are very professional journalists who do their job very well.

“In the end, [some] understand it, you have a bad career and you have to talk about it, and as an athlete sometimes it is difficult to understand it, but you also have to be honest and know that perhaps you did not have the best career, not everyone is going to make the best decisions. But there is also an excess of, let’s say, a lack of professionalism in many European media.”

Sergio Perez is the very worst on the Formula 1 grid in one area

Data shows that Perez has, on average, been more than sixth-tenths of a second slower than Verstappen in qualifying this season. He’s only beaten him once – at the Azerbaijan GP in September – and he ended up crashing out of the race after a tangle with Carlos Sainz.

But Perez looks even worse than Logan Sargeant when it comes to race pace. The teammate differential there is 0.53 seconds, the largest on the grid.

The key question here, clearly, is whether another driver could offer an improvement. Lawson is apparently slower than Perez on the simulator, though this may not translate to the track.

Tom Coronel feels only Tsunoda could survive against Verstappen. Tsunoda has now competed in 84 Grands Prix and could finish in the top 10 of the drivers’ standings this year.