Where Red Bull stand on Sergio Perez’s future ahead of Singapore Grand Prix

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Sergio Perez’s future at Red Bull remains under active review. He very nearly put together his strongest weekend of the season so far in Baku, only to be involved in a late accident with Carlos Sainz.

Perez outqualified reigning world champion Max Verstappen for the first time all season – the first time, in fact, since Miami 2023 – and did so by a comfortable margin of two-tenths. He was also a level above the Dutchman in the race.

Perez spent much of the afternoon battling Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc for victory. Verstappen, meanwhile, was predominantly tussling with Lando Norris and George Russell for a top-five berth.

The Mexican looked on course for a first podium since China back in April before he tangled with Sainz. The two drivers touched on the second DRS straight, spearing both into the wall.

Red Bull would have been encouraged by Perez’s apparent revival, but he walked away empty-handed. Even on his strongest weekend, they lost ground to their rivals.

Indeed, McLaren have now ended their two-and-a-half-year run at the top of the constructors’ championship. It may be that Perez’s spiral from May until July costs the Bulls their crown.

Sergio Perez has boosted Red Bull hopes ahead of Singapore Grand Prix

According to Formu1a.uno’s Adam Cooper, Perez’s future continues to ‘come up in paddock conversations’. It’s part of the ‘bigger picture’ as the team decide RB’s driver pairing for 2025.

Liam Lawson, who’s competing with Daniel Ricciardo, is ‘the obvious candidate’ to partner Verstappen long term. But Perez’s ‘strong performance’ in Baku has ‘helped his cause’ within the team, despite the expensive ending.

If he can continue to deliver between now and the end of the season, then it may be that he keeps his spot at Christian Horner’s team for 2025, with Lawson slotting in alongside Yuki Tsunoda. ‘High-level sources’ are saying Ricciardo’s commercial value won’t keep him at RB.

Perez signed a new one-plus-one deal with Red Bull in June. But within a month, it emerged that his seat wasn’t safe for the remainder of 2024, let alone 2025.

Did Christian Horner’s Sergio Perez prediction come true in Baku?

Part of the reason Red Bull decided to retain Perez over the summer break was that they knew some of his stronger circuits were coming up. They had limited expectations at Zandvoort and Monza – Perez scored a P6 and a P8 at those events – but anticipated elite showings in Baku and Singapore.

Three of Perez’s six victories to date came at those two venues. Horner predicted a clear improvement from Perez in Azerbaijan, where he remains the only two-time winner.

That’s not to say they can explain it. Horner admitted Perez’s affinity with Baku ‘makes no logical sense’ but it was certainly welcome.

Perez needs to drive at a similar level in Singapore, and bring home the points this time. It’s worth noting that he’ll be expected to move over for Verstappen if it’s a viable course of action amid the battle with Norris for the drivers’ title.