Revealed: The Moment ‘Everything Disappeared’ in Sergio Perez’s F1 Downfall
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Sergio Perez's F1 2024 downfall and Red Bull exit explained, with insights from Juan Pablo Montoya and Kees van de Grint on his performance and Baku crash as the key turning point.
Sergio Perez’s downfall in Formula 1 took a definitive turn in 2024, culminating in his departure from Red Bull after a disappointing season. According to Juan Pablo Montoya, the turning point came during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where a race-ending crash deprived Perez of a crucial podium finish that could have changed his F1 trajectory. Had Perez finished on the podium in Baku, Montoya believes the story would have been different, but that crash was the catalyst for his exit from Red Bull.
Sergio Perez’s Struggles in F1 2024
After a promising start to the 2024 season, which saw Perez secure four podium finishes in the first five races, his performance dramatically faltered. Throughout the remainder of the season, Perez could only manage a meager eight points in the final eight races, leading to his eventual departure from the team. Despite signing a two-year extension in June, his inability to recover from his mid-season slump ultimately hurt both his individual career and Red Bull’s performance in the Constructors' Championship.
With Perez finishing the season with only 152 points to his teammate Max Verstappen’s dominant 437, the stark contrast in results left Red Bull with a significant disadvantage in the teams' standings. The team ultimately finished third in the Constructors’ Championship, costing them millions in prize money and further highlighting Perez’s underperformance.
The Key Moment: The Azerbaijan Grand Prix
While many factors contributed to Perez’s downfall, Montoya specifically points to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as the pivotal moment. Perez was engaged in a fierce battle for a podium finish, chasing down Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc. He briefly overtook Leclerc for second place in the race, but Leclerc quickly fought back, and soon Carlos Sainz joined the fray, overtaking Perez for third. In the final laps, Perez and Sainz attempted to slipstream off Leclerc, but their contact resulted in a dramatic crash that forced both drivers to retire from the race.
Montoya believes that had Perez managed to secure a podium finish, the narrative around his season—and possibly his Red Bull career—would have been completely different. "If Checo had ended on the podium in Baku, suddenly the story would have changed. But he didn’t end on the podium, and it was a crash with Carlos Sainz at the end, and all the time that Checo took [catching the race leaders] disappeared," Montoya explained. "It was like everything disappeared."
The Cost of Red Bull’s Decision and the Financial Implications
Following Perez’s disappointing season, Red Bull decided to part ways with the Mexican driver, despite his previous contract extension. The decision to let Perez go was costly for the team, with ex-Bridgestone engineer Kees van de Grint estimating that Red Bull could have lost as much as $78 million in potential prize money due to Perez’s underperformance. Montoya expressed surprise at Red Bull’s decision, given the financial impact of firing a driver mid-season, but ultimately believed it was the right move for the team.
Montoya also speculated that Red Bull may have kept Perez in the car for the 2025 season if the financial implications of his exit hadn’t been so severe. "I tried very hard to think that they were not going to get rid of him because when they met with the board and saw the numbers, they would have resisted for a year and, in the end, removed him at the end of that year," he said. "I imagine that the number had to be very high to convince him."
The Unfriendly Exit and Perez’s Future
As Montoya put it, Perez’s departure from Red Bull was not a smooth one. The split was reportedly “not so friendly,” with the driver parting ways with the team under tense circumstances. Despite this, Perez’s future in F1 remains uncertain. His performance in 2024 raised questions about his ability to compete at the highest level, and as of now, it is unclear whether he will secure a seat with another team for the 2025 season.
While the Baku crash might have been the moment Perez’s fate was sealed, his overall decline in performance throughout the season ultimately led to his downfall at Red Bull. The high expectations and the intense competition in Formula 1 meant that Perez could not afford such a slump without serious consequences. His future in the sport now hangs in the balance, as he reflects on his Red Bull tenure and seeks new opportunities within Formula 1.
Conclusion: The End of Sergio Perez’s Red Bull Journey
Sergio Perez’s time with Red Bull came to an abrupt and disappointing end after a troubled 2024 season. The pivotal moment in his downfall came during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where a race-ending crash shattered his chances for a podium finish and solidified his exit from the team. Red Bull’s decision to part ways with Perez was a costly one, but the financial and performance-related concerns were ultimately too great for the team to overlook.
As Perez navigates his future in F1, the Baku incident will likely remain a symbol of how quickly a promising season can unravel in the competitive world of Formula 1. Whether Perez can find a new team and recapture his previous form remains to be seen, but for now, his time at Red Bull has come to a definitive end.
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