Why Sergio Perez’s father expects him to stay in F1 for a ‘long time’ despite fresh Helmut Marko warning

Follow us on Google Discover

Sergio Perez received a blunt warning from Red Bull executive director Helmut Marko ahead of this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix. Perez is ostensibly under contract for 2025 but his situation has become critical.

The 34-year-old signed a new one-plus-one deal in June that could keep him at Milton Keynes until the end of 2026. However, Perez is in breach of contract because he hasn’t met certain performance clauses, namely staying within 100 points of Max Verstappen before the summer break.

“Perez may have a contract, but Formula 1 is a performance-based society,” Marko told f1-insider. “If the performance isn’t right, contracts are of no use. At the end of the season, we will sit down together and then decide who is the best teammate for Verstappen at Red Bull.”

He must not focus on Liam Lawson, the leading contender to take his drive. Immediately after replacing Daniel Ricciardo at RB, Lawson scored a fabulous P9 from the back of the grid in Austin.

All Perez can control is his own performance level, which has fallen well below standard for the vast majority of the season. That could cost Red Bull the constructors’ championship.

With McLaren 40 points ahead, Christian Horner’s squad are still in with a chance of retaining their title. Verstappen won’t be able to bring them back into play alone, but it’s hard to see where a breakthrough will come from for Perez, who has tried so many possible solutions already.

Sergio Perez’s father says ‘he will overcome’ the challenge before him at Red Bull

Speaking to outlets including FOX Sports Mexico ahead of the race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Perez’s father Antonio once again sounded bullish about his future. He’s been expressing his confidence in the media this week.

Perez Sr still believes his son can win an F1 title, implying that he expects him to stay at Red Bull. He’s consistently shown that he can ‘overcome’ adversity.

He had to rebuild his reputation with Force India after his big move to McLaren failed in 2013. Through seven podiums and a maiden race victory, he forced his way back into consideration for top teams.

Following investment from Lawrence Stroll and the signing of Sebastian Vettel, Perez lost that seat. But Red Bull gave him a chance, and he’s gone on to win five more races.

“We are talking about Checo Perez today at Red Bull, but we no longer remember Checo Perez when he arrived at Sauber, when he went through Force India; the situation at McLaren, when he was fired and lost his job,” his father said.

“Checo has overcome many stages, and he will overcome this and others. We have a lot of Checo for a long time.”

Carlos Slim could back new driver instead if Sergio Perez falls off Formula 1 grid

Perez nearly lost his seat during the summer break. Horner and Marko considered re-hiring Ricciardo, but he didn’t do enough to merit a promotion.

Reports suggest that non-sporting factors came to his aid. Liberty Media and Carlos Slim lobbied for Perez given his commercial value.

Talk of a driver change briefly cooled between Zandvoort and Azerbaijan, but it’s clear that Lawson is auditioning for his seat. The safety net appears to be gone.

One pundit reckons Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim could back Franco Colapinto instead if Perez falls off the grid. Should he secure a deal for 2025, he would be the last remaining Latin American representative on the grid.