Sergio Perez Red Bull future update with timeline set for crunch Red Bull meeting
Sergio Perez has yet to beat Max Verstappen in a race in 2024
Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko and team principal Christian Horner have scheduled a meeting to discuss their course of action over Sergio Perez.
A wretched run of form for Perez has seen speculation return regarding his Red Bull future, the team themselves fuelling such talk by making it clear that they can no longer continue to battle with just one driver against the threat of McLaren.
Post-Spa meeting to discuss Sergio Perez Red Bull future
Perez did deliver an improved and clean performance on race day in Hungary, recovering from his Q1 crash and fourth elimination at that stage in six races to drive to P7, but Red Bull likely will need more as McLaren’s ascent continues, the Woking squad locking out the front row in Hungary and claiming a one-two finish on Grand Prix Sunday.
And Marko confirmed that he will meet Horner immediately following this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix – the final round before the F1 2024 summer break – to discuss the Perez situation.
“On Monday after Spa, I’ll fly to England and discuss with Horner the procedure,” said Marko, as per OE24.
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PlanetF1.com understands that a clause exists in Perez’s contract which would allow Red Bull to make this mid-season swap, reportedly dependent on him being 100 points behind team-mate Max Verstappen at the summer break. Perez cannot overturn that deficit by the point of the summer break, which stands at 141 with just Spa to go.
And if Red Bull do decide to swap Perez out, Marko has already highlighted current reserve driver Liam Lawson as being at the head of the queue.
Asked by Austrian publication Kleine Zeitung whether Carlos Sainz – set to leave Ferrari at the end of the season – could be a contender to replace Perez, Marko replied: “I assume that we will primarily make use of our existing drivers.
“We have three juniors who are ready for Formula 1, with Liam Lawson certainly at the top of the list.
“Behind him, there is also Ayumu Iwasa and Isack Hadjar.”
This Marko reveal came after PlanetF1.com learned ahead of the Hungarian GP weekend that Lawson is the most likely candidate to replace Perez if Red Bull do make an in-season driver change.
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