According to ESPN F1, the Abu Dhabi race could be Sergio Perez’s last with Red Bull.
The relationship between Sergio Perez and Red Bull seems to have reached its end. The Mexican driver, far behind the performance of his teammate, has had a season well below expectations, finishing the season in eighth place in the Drivers’ Championship, the last spot reserved for drivers from the top four teams.
Perez, who has been under pressure for months, has consistently dodged questions about the possibility of leaving at the end of the season, but now the rumors are becoming increasingly persistent. According to ESPN F1, the Anglo-Austrian team has already informed the former Sauber driver that they will not be relying on him for next season, preferring either Lawson or Tsunoda alongside Max Verstappen.
Horner‘s statements have fueled these rumors, which now seem very close to becoming reality. With just 152 points in the standings, Perez’s tally is too small to earn him a fifth consecutive season with Red Bull.
Perez himself, when discussing the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, chose to avoid the subject and made the following statements: “Coming to Abu Dhabi, my goal is to finish the season with a strong race. I owe the team and myself a solid and consistent performance throughout the weekend. In recent weeks, we’ve seen continuous progress, with good pace, and now we need to put all the elements together. In Qatar, everything was going well, with the podium within reach. It’s frustrating for everyone that we couldn’t turn that promising position into a concrete result.
The goal in Abu Dhabi will be to leave that disappointment behind and aim for a positive finish. It’s been a season of highs and lows for me, but I’ll give everything I have to close it in the best way possible.”