Formula 1 News: Red Bull made a mistake dropping Sergio Perez

Although F1 driver Sergio Perez signed a contract extension last summer, the Red Bull team decided to terminate the agreement before the 2025 Formula 1 season hit the tracks.

Management didn’t believe the Mexican was performing up to standard alongside Max Verstappen, but as things stand, it’s starting to look like they may have pulled the trigger too soon.

Why firing Sergio Perez was a mistake

Perez served as Red Bull’s No. 2 driver behind Verstappen during his four-year stint from 2021 to 2024. He finished runner-up in the 2023 World Championship, improving on his previous results of fourth and third in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

Liam Lawson stepped in as Perez’s successor, but his Red Bull career was short-lived. The Kiwi driver was shown the door after only two races, as he failed to convince the Red Bull hierarchy of his driving credentials.

Yuki Tsunoda took over the seat, but in eight starts for the team, the Japanese driver hasn’t managed to place any higher than ninth.

Red Bull lost an experienced driver who was happy to serve a supporting role for Verstappen after firing Perez. Finding a like-for-like replacement will be quite difficult, as a driver of Perez’s caliber will often want the spotlight on himself. But Red Bull placed unrealistic expectations on him and is now struggling to find a similar profile to replace him with.

What does Sergio Perez think?

During an appearance on the “Desde el Paddock” podcast, Perez opened about Red Bull’s call to let him go for 2025 and suggested that Red Bull officials are already kicking themselves for taking a gamble and letting him go.

“I know that deep down they are very sorry, I know that from a very good source,” Perez said.

“People might think I’m happy about it, but no… we had a great team, and in the end, it fell apart, little by little.”

What’s next for Sergio Perez?

There were rumors about Verstappen jumping ship to Aston Martin when Perez got the boot. The four-time F1 champion eventually stayed at Red Bull, but since Aston Martin is undergoing a rebuild, could they consider going for Perez?

Perez does have British racing experience.  He is a former British Formula 3 International Series champion, so can he dazzle at the highest stage for the marquee British manufacturer?

From Aston Martin’s perspective, bringing in Perez would be a gamble, akin to spinning the roulette wheel at a casino. He brings solid credentials and will be easier to acquire than other high-profile targets. But can he deliver consistently as the main man? It’s a high-risk, high-reward situation.

According to industry insiders and the odds at British sportsbooks, Perez would be better served trying his hand at the best casino sites UK than counting on winning the main seat at Aston Martin. The British manufacturer is looking to bring in someone more high-profile and might look to pursue Verstappen again after the season ends.

Bookmakers, however, are confident that he might end up at Cadillac soon, but Perez has not said anything concrete.

Perez also talked about his F1 future in the podcast, and he said he wants a new challenge in the 2026 season. So, a return to any old teams seems unlikely at this point. He wants to commit to a project, where he feels at home.

He also suggested that he wants to take on a headline act, rather than settle for supplementary roles. In his words:

“I don’t want to be traveling around the world as a third driver or waiting for an opportunity. I’ve been very fortunate with the career I’ve had, and I want to return because I don’t want to end my career like this.”

Perez doesn’t feel rushed to decide. He says he knows he will not be driving on F1 this year, so he will take his time and choose the team that presents the best opportunity to him.