Down another estimated $8million after being overhauled by Ferrari in the teams’ standings, Ralf Schumacher believes Red Bull “will” now decide to drop Sergio Perez. And he believes it could even happen before the end of the season. Red Bull told ‘there’s no point’ continuing with Sergio PerezHaving already labelled his F1 2024 campaign a “terrible season” as he struggles to reach the top six never mind the podium, Perez‘s hopes of putting the rumours about his future to rest with a strong result at his home race in Mexico were undone in Saturday’s qualifying.

Sorely lacking pace and blaming his RB20’s brakes, the Mexican driver qualified down in 18th place and cut a dejected figure after his Q1 exit. “It’s obviously very disappointing,” he said. “If there’s a grand prix that I want to do really well, it’s this one.

”Alas, his efforts to recover on the Sunday were blighted by contact with his potential Red Bull replacement Liam Lawson as the two tangled on lap 18. Perez’s car suffered floor damage and while he did complete the Grand Prix, he was 17th and last. But while Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko says he won’t judge the Mexican driver’s Grand Prix performance given his car lost “about 60 points of downforce”, Schumacher believes this has to be the end of the road for Perez.

He reckons he may not even be in the car come December’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. “Next year he won’t drive a single metre in the car anyway, I’m pretty sure of that. I don’t even think he’ll finish the season,” Schumacher told Sky Deutschland.

“Red Bull will make a decision after this weekend. There’s no point in it all anymore, for either side. Not even for Perez.

“The poor man is under so much pressure, he’s not going home beaming with joy. This is supposed to be fun. “And above all, financially, this is a disaster for the team, not just for the mechanics.

If you want to change something against Ferrari now, you have to change something quickly. ”Red Bull trail Ferrari after the Mexican Grand Prix, the Scuderia’s two-car podium seeing them leap to a 25-point lead in the battle for second in the Constructors’ Championship. McLaren are first, 29 points ahead of Ferrari.

Sergio Perez’s deficit to Max Verstappen laid bare👉The updated Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings after the Mexican Grand Prix👉F1 2024: Head-to-head race statistics between team-matesHowever, contrary to Schumacher’s opinion, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner once again stood by Perez when he spoke to the media including PlanetF1. com on Friday in Mexico. “Checo is our driver,” he insisted.

“He’s contracted for 2025. He’s competitive. He’s hungry.

He’s not happy with where he currently is. As a team, we’re doing our very best to support him. ”Meanwhile, Carlos Slim Jr, whose father’s Telmex company has been one of Perez’s biggest backers throughout his motorsport career, insists the Mexican driver isn’t going anywhere.

“I don’t understand why so many people have doubts,” he said as per Motorsport-Total. “He has a contract, he confirmed that himself. And Christian Horner too.

”Read next: How Max Verstappen telemetry data shows he fell into own trap twice