Helmut Marko adds further pressure to Sergio Pérez’s shoulders

The Formula 1 season is progressing more and more, but the results of Sergio Pérez, a driver at Red Bull, do not seem to satisfy the team. Last week, team principal Christian Horner had already expressed his disappointment after signing a new contract with the Mexican driver.

This time, Red Bull warns Perez of an evaluation of his performances during the summer break.

Trials that could mark the end of Pérez’s career in Formula 1 with Red Bull.

A specific clause

Recent rumors from the paddock suggest that Pérez’s contract may include a special contract termination clause. The Mexican driver is currently committed to a 1 + 1 contract, with one year guaranteed in Formula 1 and a possible second year depending on the driver’s performance.

One of the conditions of this contract would require Checo Pérez to be within 100 points of Max Verstappen approaching the summer break. Currently, Perez is 137 points behind Verstappen and does not meet the conditions. Another clause would state that Pérez must be ranked within five places of Max Verstappen in the driver’s championship standings. At the moment, Pérez is in sixth position, but the Mercedes drivers are within eight points of the Mexican.

Asked about the veracity of this information, Helmut Marko, advisor at Red Bull, specified that each Formula 1 contract includes specific exit clauses, usually based on the drivers’ performances and especially for those at a high level. Marko also indicated that Perez’s future would be discussed after the next two races in Hungary and Belgium. “All Formula 1 contracts have exit clauses, most of them being linked to the drivers’ performances or let’s say for those at a high level,” Marko explained to GrandPrix247. “As I said, we will do an evaluation during the summer break and make a decision,” he added.

Racing Bulls drivers to replace him

In case of replacement, two options seem to be available to the team. One of the options would be Liam Lawson, reserve driver for the Red Bull and Racing Bulls team, who recently tested the RB20 at the British Grand Prix and will conduct another test after the Belgian Grand Prix. The second option would be Yuki Tsunoda, a driver at Racing Bulls, whose performances had been praised by Christian Horner earlier in the month.

« We must first see, » Helmut Marko confided. « There are two races left and more tests are planned for Lawson. There is also Yuki Tsunoda who is doing very well.

The pressure is therefore high on Sergio Pérez who must not only improve his performance in order to hope to stay in the team, but who must also surpass the other drivers in the team. With the good performances of Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, this could influence Red Bull’s final decision.

Marko also mentioned the issues encountered with some drivers, notably Yuki Tsunoda, who had been called out for his behavior on the radio. A behavior that, according to him, needs to be corrected. “We have had many discussions with Yuki, we also put him in touch with a mental coach because, first of all, shouting was stupid and then he was becoming slower. That’s what worried me the most. We taught him: If you tell an engineer that the car is crap, what should he do?” he communicated as he mentioned an incident that had occurred at Silverstone. “Yuki doesn’t shout, but he has an aggressive way of speaking. And of course, on the radio too,” Helmut Marko concluded.

The coming weeks will be crucial for Sergio Pérez. The evaluation during the summer break could put an end to his future at Red Bull. The competition with the other Red Bull drivers adds extra pressure, pressure that Sergio Pérez will have to handle in order to remain focused in this mid-season.