Sergio Perez at centre of new F1 retirement rumour with Red Bull ‘plan’ in place

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez is once again the headline in F1’s rumour mill.

Red Bull and Sergio Perez have “worked out a plan” to announce his retirement from F1 at next month’s Mexican Grand Prix.

That’s according to respected F1 journalist Joe Saward, who believes another Red Bull driver exit could be on the cards in the coming weeks after Daniel Ricciardo was dropped by junior team VCARB.

Perez‘s future has been the subject of much speculation, with the 34-year-old having to contend with almost persistent rumours surrounding his Red Bull seat in F1 2024.

New Sergio Perez rumour with Mexican GP retirement plan

But while Red Bull team boss Christian Horner’s summer break announcement that Perez will continue with the team quashed talk of a mid-season exit, that hasn’t stopped whispers that he’ll be out at the end of the year.

The latest, revealed by Saward, claims Red Bull and Perez have “worked out a plan” to make the announcement in Mexico.

As for who could replace him, the journalist says Red Bull have been impressed with Oscar Piastri who is managed by former Red Bull race winner Mark Webber.

And with McLaren having to balance two number-one drivers, Red Bull are seeing “chinks in the Woking armour.”

The rumour has even led to McLaren telling their reserve driver Gabriel Bortoleto not to join Audi F1 as there “might be potential for him” to step up into a McLaren race seat, says Saward.

Of course, it should be noted this is not the first time it’s been said Perez will make the big retirement announcement at his home race, with the same rumours doing the rounds last season.

To that, Perez said at the time: “I also read that. I’m just laughing at it. There’s nothing I can do… That really sums up my season. A guy says something about me, then all of a sudden it becomes true.”

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But Perez has made it clear he’s not going anywhere, at least not for the next two years having signed a new contract with Red Bull that was announced in June.

And when he does leave the sport, it will be on his terms and no one else’s.

“These past six months I did think about it [retirement], but it took me three seconds to make the decision,” he told DAZN. “In the end, it would be the easy route, after so many years to quit and kind of give up. I would never have forgiven myself for that.

“I want to finish my career when I want and not when someone tells me. That’s my main focus: to get to the point where I can decide my future.

“For now I am very motivated, to be honest, I really want to continue in F1. I enjoy it. Especially the good times you really enjoy, but you also learn to enjoy the bad ones.

“For now I have two more years on my contract, and two years in F1 is a long time, but I know that the end is getting closer.”

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