Christian Horner is observing a high level of interest in the Red Bull position within the market. Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez, and Christian Horner (Via IMAGO) The Team Principal of Red Bull asserts that the team is still the top choice for the 2025 seat but has also confirmed that an additional 16 drivers from the current grid have expressed interest in replacing him. Perez’s current contract with Red Bull is set to expire at the conclusion of the 2024 season, and the Austrian team is open to signing a new driver if necessary.
Verstappen’s dominant performance in Formula 1 has placed immense pressure on Sergio Perez, as the gap in pace is too significant for him to overcome. While Perez has shown improvement compared to last year by securing second place in the first two Grand Prix races of the season, the gap with Verstappen was too substantial for Red Bull to ignore. Therefore, Christian Horner has reminded Perez that despite being in the pole position, there are 16 other drivers interested in replacing him.
Sergio Perez clarified that the standards at Red Bull are different from those at any other team, which is why previous drivers were unable to remain with the team. Over the past few years, several drivers emerged within Red Bull before Perez joined, such as [names of drivers]. Due to their poor performance, these drivers either left Red Bull or were released from their contracts. Perez became the first non-Red Bull driver to join the team since [name of driver] in 2007 when he signed in 2021. Perez is entering his fourth season with Red Bull and expects to remain with the team for at least a couple of years.
Perez has started to perform exceptionally well this season while supporting his teammate Max Verstappen, resulting in a 1-2 finish for Red Bull. The team reportedly wants to find a strong teammate for Verstappen who can challenge him in equal machinery. Even if Perez loses his seat, his experience and expertise may provide an opportunity for him in one of the remaining nine teams for at least one more season.