Is Perez on his final F1 career lifeline?

Sergio Perez keeping his Red Bull seat for the remaining 10 races this season came as a shock to many, with the Mexican having scored just 28 points across the last eight rounds. 

The 34-year-old is not new to a mid-season struggle, with him having endured lengthy spells of poor form in every season he has raced for Red Bull. 

However, his disappointing form this season is the longest and the worst of his Red Bull career, and is having a huge impact on the team. 

Due to Perez's problems and Max Verstappen not winning every race, McLaren has reduced Red Bull's advantage in the constructors' championship to just 42 points. 

For a brief second, the Belgian Grand Prix looked like the moment Perez would start to turn things around after qualifying on the front row, only to fall to a distant seventh in the race. 

Verstappen started 11th in Spa-Francorchamps and yet recovered to fourth and extended his lead in the drivers' championship. 

All the fingers and signs were pointing at a mid-season exit for Perez, despite having signed a 1+1 deal for 2025 and 2026 earlier this year. 

Most expected either Liam Lawson or Daniel Ricciardo to replace Perez; instead, Red Bull confirmed on the first day of the summer break that Perez and Ricciardo would remain where they are for the remaining 10 races. 

Of course, nothing is set yet for next season, meaning Perez is not safe for 2025 as things stand. Ultimately, Red Bull has put its faith in the Mexican driver again, with him having 10 races to save not just his career with the team but his F1 career in general.

Red Bull stability

Former Haas team principal was one of many in the F1 paddock who predicted that Perez would be axed, leaving him very surprised after reading the news that he will not be dropped this season.

On the RacingNews365 podcast, Steiner said: "I said live on German TV - 'I don't think we will see Checo back after the summer break'.

"But I think 90 per cent of people in Formula 1 said that, if not more than 90 per cent, because his performance is just not there.

"All the messages we got from Christian [Horner] and Helmut [Marko] over the weekend were like, 'We need to make some changes', and that's why I picked them up.

"I didn't make it up because I cannot judge if Checo should stay there or not, and I've no vote in that decision. But the message was, 'Yeah, there will be some changes'.

"I was as surprised as you guys when I read it. Nothing against Checo but he just didn't perform."

Of the top four teams – Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari and McLaren – Perez is the only driver not to win a race this year. Like last season, Perez had a strong start to 2024, before his difficult spell started around Miami and Imola. 

The start of his troubles occurred at the same time as Red Bull being completely caught by McLaren, with the Woking-based team having been equal to the Austrian team since introducing a big upgrade in Miami. 

Red Bull trusting Perez to turn things around is a gamble but also an understandable one based on how much change is ongoing in the team, following the announcements that both Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley will depart. 

Stability is important for Red Bull, but so is two drivers performing strongly, something McLaren do have which is why it is becoming such a threat for the title. One thing that Red Bull do know is that when Perez is on-form, he is a regular podium finisher. 

That is the Checo Red Bull need, and quite simply the version of Checo which must be present when F1 returns next weekend in Zandvoort. If he does not find his form and Red Bull lose the title to McLaren, Perez could find his F1 career at an end. 

Red Bull believe in him, but can he deliver for the team when it is needed most?