Horner admits early contract extension for Perez "didn't work"
12/07/2024 03:17 AM
Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has conceded that the early contract extension handed to Sergio Perez earlier this year, intended to bolster the Mexican driver's confidence, has not produced the desired results.
Perez's future with the team remains the subject of intense speculation as Red Bull prepares to decide on its 2025 driver lineup.
The Milton Keynes-based squad's chiefs – namely Horner and Helmut Marko – are expected to make a call on its future lineup next week and then submit their recommendation to Red Bull's shareholders who will ultimately decide Perez's fate.
Considering the 34-year-old's mediocre results and massive underperformance relative to his teammate Max Verstappen, Horner admits in hindsight that handing Perez an early contract renewal for 2026 has not proven effective.
"Obviously, at the time, Sergio was performing extremely well," said the Red Bull team boss.
"I think he had four podiums in the first five races and, in order to settle his mind and extend that run of form for the rest of the season, we elected to go early - which obviously didn't work. That's just life sometimes."
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The early deal was meant to eliminate concerns about Perez's position in the team and help him maintain his strong start to the season.
However, his struggles since signing the extension have put Red Bull in a difficult position, especially with the team evaluating younger talents like Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda as potential replacements.
Despite Perez's recent slump, Horner emphasized the broader contribution the Mexican driver has made during his tenure at Red Bull, which began in 2021.
"I think with Checo you have to look beyond this year for the contribution that he's made to our team," Horner added.
"He's been a great team player. He's a great person. He's extremely popular within the team. He's worked very hard over the four years that he's been with us and he's played a vital role in the constructors' championships that we've won, the five grand prix victories that he had in our car.
"It's been the most successful pairing that we've ever had, finishing first and second in the drivers' championship last year."
Horner's recent comments suggest that while Perez still has a chance to secure his spot, the team is also prepared to explore other options.
"We're fortunate that we've got a tremendous pool of talent," said Horner. "It was good to see Isack Hadjar getting a run out as well in free practice. We've got two talented drivers in VCARB [Visa Cash App RB], so until the situation is clear with Sergio and what he wants to do, everything else is purely speculation."
For Perez, the ball appears to be in his court, but any resolution may require Red Bull to renegotiate the terms of his deal.
As the team weighs its options, the decision will ultimately come down to who can best complement Verstappen and deliver consistent results for Red Bull's ongoing dominance in Formula 1.
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