Red Bull warned it ‘cannot break’ Perez contract

Red Bull has been warned it simply "cannot break" Sergio Perez's F1 contract if it elects to drop him for 2025.

The Mexican has come under increasing pressure after a run of results in which he has scored just 47 points in the 12 races since the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in May - with Red Bull's constructors' championship defence at threat. 

The team finds itself 40 points behind leaders McLaren and just eight ahead of Ferrari heading into Perez's home grand prix weekend, but motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has indicated that "contracts are useless" - referring to the two-year deal Perez signed ahead of the Canadian GP. 

However, Sky Sports F1's Martin Brundle believes it is not just a matter of axing Perez, should Red Bull decide to do so. 

"Contracts are in place. There’s the Contract Recognition Board where they’re all lodged, and you can’t just break them," he explained. 

"You can agree to go your different ways or whatever. But it’s not easy just saying: ‘Oh yeah, they’ll change him in a heartbeat’, because there are contracts in place, and there’s commerciality, heavy commerciality involved with that as well.

"But I don’t think for either Sergio or the team, they could just…it’s the same for Daniel Ricciardo, let’s be honest, there comes a point where it’s just not tenable anymore."

Perez under Red Bull pressure

After a strong start to the season with podiums in four of the first five races, Perez has not finished in the top three since the Chinese GP - but Brundle insists the six-time grand prix winner can turn his fortunes around "with one decent result."

"He’s a perfect foil to Max Verstappen when he’s on form as he was in the first two races, finishing comfortably second, that’s what they need him to do," Brundle continued.

"But I don’t think for either Sergio or the team, it was the same for Daniel Ricciardo, let’s be honest, there comes a point where it’s just not tenable anymore.

“But let’s see, one decent result and that’ll go away for a few races.

"Red Bull are under pressure in the championship. He’s under pressure to keep his seat."