Sergio Pérez's future with Red Bull in jeopardy after disappointing home race

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

Sergio Pérez's F1 future with Red Bull under scrutiny post-Mexican GP

Sergio Pérez's tenure with Red Bull Racing faces uncertainty beyond the upcoming Brazilian Grand Prix, as team principal Christian Horner remains non-committal about the driver's future in Formula 1. Following a challenging performance at his home race in Mexico, Pérez's position appears increasingly precarious.

Over the weekend, Pérez faced a series of setbacks that culminated in a last-place finish. Starting from 18th position, his race was marred by a false start penalty and subsequent clashes that severely damaged his car. Adding to Red Bull's woes, the team slipped to third in the constructors' standings, overtaken by Ferrari, despite Max Verstappen's lead in the drivers' championship.

Addressing media queries about Pérez's future, Horner expressed no assurance for the Mexican driver, who remains contractually tied to Red Bull until 2025. He hinted that Pérez may have raced for the final time in front of his home supporters.

"You know, there comes a point in time that difficult decisions have to be made," Horner stated candidly. "We're now third in the constructors' championship. Our determination is to try and get back into a winning position but it's going to be a tall order over these next four races."

Horner confirmed that Pérez would compete in Brazil, but the atmosphere at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez was rife with speculation about potential changes for the season's concluding rounds. Horner bluntly described Pérez's weekend as "horrible," emphasizing the result-driven nature of Formula 1.

"He knows Formula 1 is a results-based business and inevitably when you're not delivering, then the spotlight is firmly on you," Horner reiterated, highlighting the intense scrutiny surrounding Pérez's recent performances.

"As a team, we need both cars scoring points and that's the nature of Formula 1," he added. "We're working with him as hard as we can to try and support him. I think we've done everything that we can to support Checo and we'll continue to do so in Brazil next weekend. But there comes a point in time that you can only do so much."

With only four races remaining in the season, Pérez's future hangs in the balance, with both his and Red Bull's prospects becoming a topic of intense discussion across the F1 paddock.

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