Sergio Perez has raced for Red Bull since the 2021 season. Throughout his tenure at Milton Keynes, Checo’s seat has never really been safe. Now, as Formula 1 heads to the Mexican GP, it might be now or never for the 34-year-old.
Perez sits eighth in the standings, a whopping 204 points off Max Verstappen. The Mexican’s poor performance has forced Red Bull down to second place in the championship. With Ferrari closing in on the Austrian giant.
Sergio Perez is also the only driver in the top 8 to not have won a race so far this season. Red Bull has shown patience with Checo, something that Milton Keynes usually lacks. Daniel Ricciardo‘s F1 career was put to an end after the Singapore GP for his underwhelming results, while Sergio Perez holds on.
However, there is a new threat to the 34-year-old’s racing career. RELATEDDoes Lando Norris have what it takes to defeat Max Verstappen? Sergio Perez at risk of losing Red Bull seat to Liam LawsonRed Bull called up its junior driver Liam Lawson to replace Ricciardo at RB for the rest of the 2024 season.
If the motive was just to test the Kiwi driver for a place at Milton Keynes in 2026, the team could’ve allowed Daniel Ricciardo to finish the full campaign this season. Liam Lawson [L] Sergio Perez [R] (images via IMAGO)However, Lawson’s mid-season arrival shows that the Austrian giant is ready to make a harsh call on Perez if necessary. It is believed that Checo could be replaced for 2025 if he fails to get results this season.
Although, Liam Lawson does need to prove his consistency first. Sergio Perez has not made any comments on such speculation as of yet. On the other hand, Checo’s father Antonio Perez insists that the 34-year-old will become a world champion in the coming time.
Although, critics have hinted that the Mexican driver has finally run out of time. Thus, it is essential for Perez to give a strong result in front of his home fans this weekend. The 34-year-old needs to try and match Max Verstappen at the front to get some crucial points for the championship.
However, it remains to be seen if Checo can truly redeem himself in Mexico City. RELATEDThe odd timing of F1’s ban on fastest lap point