Sunday, December 22, 2024

Red Bull driver rumours end with new TWO-year deal for Sergio Perez

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Red Bull have ended speculation over their 2025 line-up by confirming Sergio Perez will stay with the team for the next two seasons.

There had been much speculation about the future of Perez following his difficult end to 2023 and subsequently stalling 2024 season but Red Bull have kept the faith with the Mexican and awarded him a new deal.

Red Bull confirm new Sergio Perez contract for F1 2025 and 2026

Perez made a solid start to 2024, contributing to three Red Bull one-two finishes behind Max Verstappen in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Japan – but has failed to finish on the podium in the last three races.

Despite this, there was never any real suggestion that Red Bull were looking to replace Perez who also brings a considerable amount of sponsorship to the team through his Mexican background.

He said: “I am really happy to commit my future to this great team, it is a challenge like no other racing for Oracle Red Bull Racing, both on track and off track. I am delighted to be staying here to continue our journey together and contribute to this team’s great history for two more years.

“Being part of the team is an immense challenge, and one I love. We have a great challenge this year and I have full trust in the whole team that the future is bright here and I am excited to be part of it.

“I want to thank everyone for all the trust they are putting in me, it is a lot and I want to pay it back with excellent results on track, and off track. I think we have a lot of work to do, we have a lot more Championships to win together.”

Red Bull boss Christian Horner said: “Now is an important time to confirm our line-up for 2025 and we are very pleased to continue working together with Checo.

“Continuity and stability are important for the team and both Checo and Max are a successful and robust partnership, securing our first ever one-two finish for the team in the Championship last year.

“Checo has had a strong start to 2024 with second places in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Japan and then his podium in China. The past few races have been tough, there is convergence on the grid, but we are confident in Checo and look forward to his return to proven form and performance, that we so often see.

 

“Last year was a unicorn season and we will need to work hard to retain our titles, but we are assured in our line up and with the team as a whole, which is imperative in what is shaping up to be a close fought Championship this year.”

Perez, who made his F1 debut with Sauber back in 2011, originally joined Red Bull as Alex Albon’s replacement for the F1 2021 season, becoming the first driver to be signed from outside the team’s own talent pool since Mark Webber in 2007.

The Mexican took just six races to register his first victory for Red Bull in Baku, with Perez playing an influential role in Verstappen’s first title triumph.

Perez added two further victories to his tally in 2022, winning on the streets of Monaco and Singapore, before making his best-ever start to a season in 2023 by winning two of the first four races in Jeddah and Baku.

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Having sat just six points behind Verstappen following the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Perez’s season then fell of a cliff as he reached Q3 just once in the following six races to leave his place at the team in severe jeopardy.

Despite growing calls to promote Daniel Ricciardo alongside Verstappen in late 2023, Red Bull stood by Perez and were rewarded with a run of four podium finishes in the opening five races of F1 2024.

The news of Perez’s stay provides a degree of stability for Red Bull, who announced last month that design guru Adrian Newey will leave the team in early F1 2025 after a 19-year stint with the Milton Keynes-based operation.

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