Sergio Perez ignored F1 driver ‘advice’ with viral post about Red Bull future

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Sergio Perez has faced one ultimatum after another at Red Bull in 2024. Following the arrival of Liam Lawson for the final six races, his seat is under renewed threat.

Perez only signed a new contract in June, seemingly ending any doubt over his future. Red Bull had ostensibly made a commitment for 2025 and, depending on his performance, 2026.

Within a month, however, the team were threatening to break that agreement. Perez survived beyond the summer break more because of concerns about his alternatives – Lawson’s inexperience and Daniel Ricciardo’s inconsistency – than his own performances.

There were also reports that Liberty Media and Carlos Slim intervened on Perez’s behalf. Red Bull have maintained that it was solely a sporting decision.

Regardless, the Mexican knew he’d have to improve when the season resumed if he was to retain his drive. After broadly matching expectations in a recalcitrant Red Bull at Zandvoort and Monza, he shone in Azerbaijan.

However, Perez’s best weekend of the year – he outclassed Max Verstappen before a race-ending tangle with Carlos Sainz – was followed up by one of his worst in Singapore. The pressure is back on after he suffered a Q2 exit and finished down in 10th.

Sergio Perez sent defiant Red Bull message when most would have stayed silent

Formula 1 journalist Joe Saward recently relayed paddock rumours that Perez could announce his retirement at his home race in Mexico later this month. Red Bull would allow him to paint it as his own decision rather than publicly axing him.

In an apparent response, Perez posted a clip from the 2013 film ‘The Wolf of Wall Street on X’. In it, main character Jordan Belfort, played by Leonardo di Caprio, defiantly tells his employees ‘I’m not leaving’.

The post, simply captioned ‘sorry’, has been viewed nearly 11 million times. His fans greeted it with delight, hence the 130,000 likes.

Speaking on ESPN’s Unlapped podcast, Laurence Edmondson pointed out that drivers are told not to make any such statements without going through official channels. But he feels it points to Perez’s optimism.

“I think that is often the advice given to drivers, and it’s often the advice taken by drivers,” he said. “For the most part, unless there’s an actual statement to be made about their future, they don’t do it.

“I actually welcome it. It’s good for us. I also welcome it because it shows this other side to drivers. I don’t think if his situation was genuinely precarious right now, he would have done that. I think it then would have all of a sudden been a bit more serious.”

Why Sergio Perez is already ‘in breach of contract’ at Red Bull before Liam Lawson audition

How can Red Bull replace Perez when he’s under contract? It all comes down to a break clause in his deal.

He had to be within 100 points of Verstappen at the summer break to prolong the agreement. But he wasn’t anywhere close to that benchmark.

That means, according to Speedcafe’s Mat Coch, Perez is ‘in breach of contract’ at Red Bull. The team aren’t obliged to sack him but they’re within their rights to do so if they decide to promote Lawson for 2025.

While he’s seen off Ricciardo, Yuki Tsunoda is now back on the agenda for Red Bull. Helmut Marko has regained some power at the team, and he’s a far greater advocate of the Japanese driver than colleague Christian Horner.