Christian Horner on Sergio Pérez’s departure from Red Bull

Christian Horner provided details on Sergio Perez’s departure from the Red Bull team, explaining that the Mexican driver chose to step back to take time to consider his next steps.

Speculations about Sergio Perez’s position at Red Bull had been circulating for some time, after a difficult season marked by a decline in his performances over the year, despite a promising start. Although the team granted him a two-year contract extension last June, it was confirmed after the end of the season that Sergio Perez and Red Bull had reached an agreement to part ways with immediate effect. Liam Lawson, from Red Bull’s ranks, will replace the Mexican in 2025, alongside Max Verstappen.

Horner says more about internal discussions

Speaking on Sky Sports after the announcement of Sergio Perez’s departure, Red Bull’s boss was questioned about the difficult internal discussions the six-time Grand Prix winner must have had with himself. “Yes, absolutely,” answered Christian Horner. “Checo has been a fantastic member of this team. It’s been a tough year for him, but he’s a great person who played a key role in the 2021 Drivers’ Championship and in the 2022 and 2023 Constructors’ Championships.”

« He finished second in the driver’s championship last year and won five Grand Prix races with our cars. After the season, he took the time to reflect, and we sat together last week to discuss the next steps. He decided to take some time for himself. We are sad to see him go, but obviously, it is also an opportunity for him to spend time with his young family and reflect on his future. »

A decision by the driver rather than the team? Questioned about the contract extension signed earlier in the year, which perhaps aimed to bolster the Mexican’s confidence, Christian Horner explained: « Yes, of course. At the time we signed it, he had secured four podiums in five races. So it was a logical extension to eliminate the speculations, which were already too numerous around the team. »

« And of course, every contract contains clauses and performance criteria, but that had no impact on Sergio’s decision to step back and take a break », he insists.

Difficulties too significant for Perez

Sergio Perez finished the 2024 season in eighth place in the drivers’ championship, with 285 points behind his teammate, champion Max Verstappen. Red Bull, for its part, finished third in the constructors’ standings, behind McLaren and Ferrari.

Christian Horner also commented on Sergio Perez’s difficulties over the season, highlighting that the reasons remain unclear: “I think that’s it, he’s not really sure what happened. The car has become more demanding in its performance window, and he struggled with that compared to Max. With such a huge points difference between the two drivers, it put more pressure on him. Sometimes, the more you try, the slower you become, and it turned into a vicious cycle for him. There were flashes of his former form, like in Baku, but unfortunately, it didn’t translate into points.”

« It was an extremely frustrating campaign for him, which obviously cost us dearly in the Constructors’ Championship », insists the Briton. Indeed, the Austrian team experienced its worst result since 2019.

Finally, when asked about a possible transition to the sister team Racing Bulls, an option previously considered for drivers like Daniil Kvyat and Pierre Gasly, Christian Horner admitted: « At the stage where Checo is in his career, it wouldn’t really have been an option. For him, it is not something we discussed or considered. He made this decision, and we fully support it. »

For now, the future of Sergio Perez in Formula 1 remains uncertain, at least for 2025.