CHRISTIAN HORNER ISSUES LATEST SERGIO PEREZ RED BULL UPDATE AMID RETIREMENT SPECULATION

Ideally, Red Bull want Sergio Perez in the car for F1 2025, but Christian Horner dropped a “two weeks is long term” in Formula 1 hint.

After a strong start to the F1 2024 campaign, Perez has seen his Red Bull future called into question after an alarming slump from there, one which left him going into the summer break at serious risk of losing his seat. He got the nod to continue, but will that prove only a temporary reprieve?

Sergio Perez ideally in F1 2025 Red Bull, but…

With Red Bull losing their Constructors’ Championship lead to McLaren – who have established a 41-point buffer – Perez’s position at Red Bull is again under the microscope, the F1 rumour mill suggesting he will announce his retirement at his upcoming home race, the Mexican Grand Prix.

Perez used an iconic ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ clip to tackle that rumour and suggest he’s going nowhere, but will it be his choice to make?

Red Bull has wielded the axe on Daniel Ricciardo at junior team VCARB, promoting reserve Liam Lawson for a six-round audition to see out F1 2024, so Horner was asked on the F1 Nation podcast to reveal the bigger picture to their plans, whether this decision is solely about VCARB, or if Red Bull also come into the equation after this driver swap.

“No, this goes beyond VCARB,” Horner confirmed.

“It encompasses Red Bull Racing.

“Obviously, we’ve got a contract with Sergio for next year, but you’ve always got to have an eye out in terms of what comes next? And, you know, is that going to be Liam? Or do we need to look outside the pool? Or will one of the other juniors step up in the fullness of time? Whether it’s Isack Hadjar or Arvid Lindblad.”

How the F1 2025 grid is shaping up

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To that point, Horner was asked what he sees as the “ideal scenario” for Red Bull’s F1 2025 driver line-up, as Perez bids to retain his seat alongside Max Verstappen.

“That obviously Checo finds his form and rediscovers the shape that he was in at the beginning of the year and nothing changes,” Horner replied.

However, situations evolve fast in the world of Formula 1.

“But, as we know in this business, two weeks is long term,” Horner concluded.

Perez has slipped to P8 in the F1 2024 Drivers’ Championship standings and is 187 points behind team-mate Verstappen at the top of the standings, as the Dutchman chases his fourth consecutive World title.

2024-10-01T16:38:14Z dg43tfdfdgfd