Sergio Perez warned ‘it’s curtains’ at Red Bull if one thing happens at Belgian Grand Prix

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Will Buxton has now warned Sergio Perez about the one thing he cannot afford to do at the Belgian Grand Prix otherwise it will be ‘curtains’ for the Mexican driver at Red Bull.

Question marks linger over the 34-year-old’s future at the team from Milton Keynes like the Grim Reaper waiting for its next victim. Perez has continually failed to deliver for Red Bull in recent rounds to create doubts about his credibility to share a garage with Max Verstappen.

Red Bull only gifted Perez a two-year contract extension at the start of June after a solid run of form this year. But he has only repaid the decision with three points-scoring finishes over the five events since. The Guadalajara native has further failed to finish higher than seventh.

It is ‘curtains’ for Sergio Perez if Max Verstappen out-qualifies him for the Belgian GP

Perez had opened the campaign with four podiums in the first five rounds, including three in second place to Verstappen. It was key that he started strongly, too, as his previous deal was set to lapse this year. But Red Bull are now fighting McLaren for the teams’ title one-handed.

Since Perez’s first-lap crash in the Monaco Grand Prix with Kevin Magnussen of Haas, which he could have prevented and was not enough to stop Red Bull from extending his contract, he has only scored 17 points. But it will cost Red Bull $5m (£4m) to buy Perez out of his deal.

READ MORE: Five unforgettable Belgian GP from Schumacher vs Hakkinen to a 13 car crash

Yet Buxton believes Perez will not have a future at Red Bull after this weekend if Verstappen still manages to out-qualify him for the Belgian GP. The 26-year-old is expected to take a 10-place grid penalty at Spa as Verstappen will take new power unit elements outside the limit.

Buxton said on BBC Sport’s Chequered Flag podcast: “If Max takes a 10-place grid penalty, which we expect him to, Perez has to get the job done. He’s under massive pressure right now because Red Bull’s operating a one-car team.

“Imagine a scenario where Checo doesn’t out-qualify Max, even with Max’s 10-place grid penalty. It’s curtains!”

Qualifying has cost Sergio Perez heavily since his Red Bull contract extension

If Perez is to avoid what Buxton considers a worst-case scenario for the Mexican at Spa, Red Bull will very much likely need him to get into Q3 in qualifying for the Belgian GP. Yet he has not advanced to the final phase during qualifying since taking P7 at the Austrian Grand Prix.

READ MORE: The most successful F1 drivers at the Belgian GP of all time and at Spa

The Red Bull Ring round even marks one of only two times that Perez has reached Q3 since signing his contract extension. He also reached the last stage at the Spanish Grand Prix and took P8, but started in 11th after having a three-place grid penalty from the previous round.

Perez received a grid penalty from the Canadian Grand Prix after crashing all on his own and continuing with a significantly damaged rear wing. He even qualified in P16 in Montreal, and Perez has also crashed in Q1 at the British Grand Prix (P19) and Hungarian Grand Prix (P16).