After a year full of ups and downs for the Mexican driver, the latest rumor in the world of Formula 1 is that Perez is set to leave Red Bull. Clearly, Checo did not meet Red Bull’s or the fans’ expectations. With a car like the RB20 and a world champion teammate in the same car, the pressure on any driver is immense. Not only does he have to compete with his teammate, but also fight for the top spot in the F1 standings.
According to Sky DE and ESPN, Checo is set to exit Red Bull before the 2025 F1 schedule. During the summer break, the Mexican driver had signed a one-year contract extension with the option to continue in 2026, but due to his lack of strong performance, that option was not exercised.
One of his few F1 highlights was Azerbaijan, where he had a strong performance that was marred by a crash with Carlos Sainz, which cost him the race. Perez managed to secure some valuable podiums early in the season, with the last one being at the China GP.
From that point onward, the absence of podiums led to a lack of points. The fall was so steep that his F1 qualifying results showed that he could barely make it out of Q3. This had a significant impact on Red Bull’s hopes of securing the Formula 1 Constructors Championship, worrying Helmut Marko and the entire Red Bull Racing organization.
Then, who’s next?
It seems that being Max Verstappen’s teammate is a nightmare for many drivers, with Checo being the teammate who has spent the most time alongside the Dutchman. Max is one of the best F1 drivers of recent years, which creates extra pressure on his teammates. Having a four-time champion as a point of comparison may seem unfair, but that’s how F1 works.
If Perez Leaves Red Bull, the name most often mentioned to replace Checo is Liam Lawson. He’s a young and bold driver who has shown he has the ability to compete with anyone on the grid. When Ricciardo missed some races with RB, the New Zealander stepped in and made the most of the opportunity.
These are some of the F1 drivers who have raced alongside Verstappen:
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Alex Albon
- Pierre Gasly