Here’s Why Sergio Pérez Leaving Red Bull Is the Right Decision & What’s Next
Sergio Perez of Red Bull Racing RB20 poses for a portrait during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on December 5, 2024. (Photo by Gongora/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
After four years with the team, Sergio “Checo” Pérez and Red Bull are parting ways, effective immediately. The news, which would have been hard to believe earlier this year, when Pérez signed a new deal to race for the team until the end of 2026 after coming off his strongest season ever, which saw him finish second to teammate and champion Max Verstappen, is however, very easy to believe after Pérez’s disastrous 2024.
Consider this: the Mexican driver scored only nine points in his last eight races, and that was the main reason why Red Bull failed to defend their constructor’s championship despite Max Verstappen once again defending his championship. Red Bull didn’t even finish second in the constructor’s championship race. Instead, they finished behind champions McLaren and runners-up Ferrari.
“Driving for Red Bull has been an unforgettable experience and I’ll always cherish the successes we achieved together. We broke records, reached remarkable milestones, and I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people along the way,” Pérez said in a statement, the right words to say after four successful years, but words that fail to capture the way the relationship broke down in the last few races of the year. Not that there was any real way to express that.
This is the right decision for Red Bull, which wasn’t seeing the results it wanted from Pérez, but it is also, in many ways, the right decision for Pérez. He had clearly lost the trust of Red Bull and he was always not just in the shadow of Verstappen, the champion, but was increasingly being treated not just as if he couldn’t measure up, but also as if he couldn’t even do anything right to begin with.
“It has also been an honour to race alongside Max as a team mate all these years and to share in our success. A special thank you to the fans around the world, and especially to the Mexican fans for your unwavering support every day. We’ll meet again soon. And remember… never give up,” he added, a very nice sentiment for a driver who has certainly made F1 a must-watch in Mexico.
What’s next for Pérez? It’s hard to tell. The answer might be Cadillac, but they will not be on the grid until 2026 at the earliest, so he might consider taking a sabbatical, becoming an ambassador, or even taking on a reserve role. Whatever is next, one thing is for sure—a lot of people want to see Sergio Pérez involved in F1, so this is unlikely to be the last we’ve seen of him.