Sergio Perez demanding 'at least $20Mn' from Red Bull if he's fired prematurely: Reports
Recent reports suggest that Sergio Perez could demand $20,000,000 from Red Bull if the team decides to remove him from the roster. This rumor emerged amid Checo's poor form in the 2024 F1 season.
Checo had a fantastic start to the 2024 Formula One season. In the initial races, he secured podium positions and maintained his place alongside his teammate, Max Verstappen, in the drivers' rankings. His on-track performance, however, declined after the Miami Grand Prix, and he dropped in the championship rankings.
He is currently seventh in the standings with just 151 points, far behind Verstappen, who is in first place with 393 points. Since April 2024, the Mexican has not been placed on the podium.
His poor performance reignited rumors that Red Bull could fire him mid-season. This did not happen as Sergio Perez continued to race for the Austrian giants. The Mexican currently has a long contract with the team till 2026.
According to a report by Blick, written by F1 expert Roger Benoit, Sergio Perez could demand $20,000,000 if Red Bull decides to remove him from the team prematurely. The reports stated that this amount was essentially for the damages that Checo could suffer.
Sergio Perez's poor performance in 2024 has massively affected Red Bull's chances of defending their world championship against the likes of McLaren and Ferrari. The team is currently third with 544 points, with Ferrari placed second at 557 points and McLaren leading the championship with 593 points. While Verstappen will be able to secure another world championship by keeping Lando Norris at the back, Red Bull won't be able to do so at the constructors' table.
Helmut Marko labels contract as 'useless' amid questions about Sergio Perez's future with Red Bull
Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko recently explained how contracts have no use if a driver fails to perform well on the track itself. He said this while discussing Sergio Perez's future with the team.
Speaking to F1 Insider, Marko said that even though the Mexican has a contract, it will not help him retain the seat if his on-track performances are consistently poor. He then added that the team will sit and discuss Max Verstappen's future teammate after the 2024 F1 season if they plan to remove Checo.
“Perez may have a contract, but Formula 1 is a meritocracy. If the performance is not right, even contracts are useless. At the end of the season, we will sit down together and decide who is the best team-mate for Verstappen at Red Bull,” Marko said.
Red Bull has many junior drivers under their umbrella who are preparing themselves for a top seat in F1. Their B team, Racing Bulls, already has two youngsters, Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson. Furthermore, they also have a promising F2 driver, Isack Hadjar, who is performing well in the feeder series. As of now, Perez will continue to race for Red Bull till the end of the 2024 F1 season.