Sergio Perez

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The constructors’ and the drivers’ championships are often dubbed as two-front wars in Formula 1. While Max Verstappen looks to be on the right path to bag the crown for the fourth time, Red Bull is not as comfortable. The reason behind that is an under-firing Sergio Perez, who cannot seem to get out of his slump.

If he fails to regain that form, Red Bull could not only suffer a title defeat but also some heavy losses; the prize money, for example. In 2023, the Austrian team walked away with $140 million owing to their triumph. Second-placed Mercedes, meanwhile, got $131 million. In F1, that $9 million difference is huge, as it could contribute to better development.

However, Red Bull will be secure, in case they lose the constructors’ title in 2024. The reason behind it is a ‘guarantee’ from Perez’s sponsors, which includes billionaire businessman Carlos Slim.

As per a report from Motorsport Italy, “…it is whispered thanks above all to the guarantee that in the event of defeat in the Constructors’ World Championship, a significant part of the financial loss will be compensated by the pool of Mexican sponsors, led by the magnate Carlos Slim. A scenario that would confirm Red Bull’s awareness that the sprint for victory in the team classification will be anything but a downhill path.”

The ‘guarantee’ could be the reason why Red Bull decided to retain him at least until the end of the season. That decision, which came shortly after the Belgian GP, was surprising for many.

However, a closer look revealed how the team had no choice but to see the season off with Perez.

Why Red Bull retaining Perez is not surprising

Red Bull developed a notorious image for demoting, or worse, letting drivers go after a short stint of bad performances. The likes of Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Nyck de Vries, etc. – all fell victim to this. These examples made Perez’s stay beyond the summer break unlikely.

However, the team is facing a dearth of options to put in the place of the #11 driver. Daniel Ricciardo was put back into the RB fold to possibly take over the second driver duties from Perez in the event he failed to make the cut. However, the Australian hardly made a case for retaining his seat, let alone a promotion to Red Bull.

Yuki Tsunoda, meanwhile, is reported to not be in consideration despite putting in consistently good performances. Liam Lawson is out of the picture as Red Bull is wary of setting a precedent of granting the seat to a driver who only impressed in a stop-gap stint with AlphaTauri in 2023.