From the Imola Grand Prix to the Silverstone one which has just ended, Sergio Perez brought a paltry 16 points into the Red Bull coffers. Six races, plus a Sprint, to collect the equivalent of what Nico Hulkenberg collected in just two weekends aboard a Haas. The drop in performance is partly justified by the difficulties that Max Verstappen also highlighted. But if the Dutchman manages to compensate for the loss with his own performances, the situation seems more complex for Perez. Having just renewed the contract, questions about the reasons for this choice began to arise, as did the clause that could put Sergio Perez permanently out of action.
The clause for Sergio Perez: no more than 100 points behind Max
We can't hide anymore. The same At the end of the weekend at Silverstone, Christian Horner defined Perez's situation as "unsustainable". Red Bull cannot afford to rely on just one player. Can't let that Max Verstappen you fight alone against a McLaren, a growing Mercedes. To defend the two titles they both serve the cause. Which Perez isn't doing. This trend brought Perez to a gap of 137 points from his teammate. A notable gap that could put Perez at risk due to the presence of a clause in the Mexican's contract.
The following clause requires Sergio Perez to maintain a gap of no more than 100 points in two very specific phases of the season: the summer break and at the end of the season. The first deadline is quite close. In fact, there are only two races left before the summer break. If by the Belgian GP Perez has not closed this gap to at least 100 points, a window of opportunity would open up for riders looking for a seat for 2025.
Changing during the race is never a good thing, especially for a team that has to defend two world titles. However, this hypothesis seems to be increasingly probable after Silverstone. The names for a substitution in the race, if Perez doesn't make it, are few but they are still interesting: Red Bull has Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda available but also Liam Lawson who made his debut last year in place of the injured Ricciardo. Lawson will also be testing at Silverstone with Red Bull this week, a chance to see if he is fit to replace Perez if needed?
Source: Journal of Sport
