Why disappointing Mexico City Grand Prix could now ‘open the door’ for Sergio Perez’s F1 exit

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Red Bull Racing driver Sergio Perez officially has a contract that could run until the end of the 2026 Formula 1 season.

However, after another disappointing performance during the Mexico City Grand Prix, Sergio Perez is now facing calls that he might not see out the rest of this campaign.

Ralf Schumacher believes Perez could be let go by Red Bull imminently after failing to live up to expectations this season.

The Mexican driver is more than 200 points behind teammate Max Verstappen and didn’t help his prospects across his home race weekend.

A Q1 exit was followed up by a false start and a costly battle with Liam Lawson that damaged his car.

The damage to his RB20 was so significant that Perez took the chequered flag in last place and even when he put on the soft tyres at the end of the race, failed to steal the fastest lap from Charles Leclerc.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Red Bull Racing from engine to Ford links

Andrew Benson believes Perez will see out the rest of the 2024 F1 season, but writing for Motorsport-Total, journalist Christian Nimmervoll shared what he had heard about the 34-year-old’s next steps.

He now admits he could see Perez’s exit from F1 happening but highlights one key reason why Red Bull may be reluctant to take that drastic course of action

Why the Mexican Grand Prix could ‘open the door’ to Sergio Perez’s Red Bull exit

Analysing Perez’s performances at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez and it’s longer term implications, Nimmervoll said: “With his crash in qualifying and his overly ambitious start in Mexico, which was probably an attempt to make Saturday forgotten in a matter of seconds, Yuki Tsunoda proved that he is not up to the task of keeping a cool head among the “big boys”, even in his fourth year in Formula 1.

“His speed is outstanding, but his psychological structure is not at the same level.

“Liam Lawson certainly has the speed and the carefree attitude to be considered for the job in principle.

“But Austin and Mexico have also demonstrated that at least a full season with the Racing Bulls would do him good before he is called upon to take on more important tasks.

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“Unlike before, I now believe that Perez’s time at Red Bull is over. But at the moment I don’t have the imagination to think about what his successor will look like.

“In the worst-case scenario, everything could happen very quickly. The alleged 100-point clause, which I wrote about in my Silverstone column, could open the door to Perez being sent to Brazil for early retirement.

“The way Christian Horner avoided confirming him as a Red Bull racing driver on Sunday evening certainly suggests that something is up.”

Nimmervoll also admits that while Isack Hadjar and Arvid Lindblad are ‘tremendous talent’, they’re not ready for F1 yet.

While Franco Colapinto has been linked with RB, it’s still too early in his F1 career to suggest he’s exactly what the Red Bull group need.

Christian Horner’s unheeded Sergio Perez warning before the Mexico City Grand Prix

Perez gave himself a mountain to climb at his home Grand Prix as soon as he failed to make it out of Q1.

He complained about problems with his brakes, and while the RB20 is far from easy to drive, his confidence is also at an all-time low and when the margins in qualifying are so fine, not driving with 100% commitment has stark consequences.

Before the race, Horner told Perez what his target was for the race, but he came nowhere near what his team principal wanted.

The damage he sustained in his battle with Lawson does give Perez some leeway, but this poor performance isn’t a one-off in a difficult year for the 34-year-old.