Former race winner believes have to drop “sooner fairly than later” – and ought to be changed by RB driver .
Perez has a contract with Purple Bull till the top of 2025 – with an possibility for 2026 – however has struggled as Max Verstappen’s teammate this yr. He has not received a race since April 2023 and trails Verstappen by 204 factors.
The 34-year-old completed seventh within the US Grand Prix on Sunday, whereas Verstappen completed on the rostrum. Perez’s future is shrouded unsure forward of his residence race in Mexico Metropolis this weekend.
Purple Bull have additionally relinquished to McLaren and now Ferrari path them by simply eight factors. Herbert says now could be the time for Christian Horner to make a change.
“Sergio is delivering however not fairly delivering sufficient so do they change him now? I feel sure, in the event that they’re making an attempt to maintain that second place within the constructors,” Herbert mentioned.
“Whether or not they have the cojones to do it earlier than Sergio Perez’s residence race in Mexico is the query – I’d say sure, due to the best way the constructors is enjoying out in the intervening time. Possibly they are going to maintain Perez in Mexico after which make the decision for Brazil.
“They should do it sooner fairly than later if they’re going to do it, however it ought to have occurred earlier.”
With RB’s Liam Lawson impressing in Austin and ending within the top-10, the New Zealander – who changed Daniel Ricciardo – has been linked with a step as much as Purple Bull for 2025. Nevertheless, Herbert says Lawson’s teammate Tsunoda deserves a chew of the cherry.
“It’s Yuki Tsunoda who ought to are available in, I feel Yuki has achieved an excellent job this yr,” Herbert added, talking to .
“He’s very constant as properly. His qualifying has been very, very robust and he’s all the time been excellent at qualifying. His race was all the time most likely his weak hyperlink. However I feel that’s improved as properly, his race tempo has actually bought higher as properly. I’d prefer to see somebody like Yuki get that likelihood as a result of I feel he’s earned it.
“Being up in opposition to Max is a really robust job, however I feel from his consistency I see, possibly he received’t be as fast as Max, however I feel he’ll be not too far behind. So I’d like Yuki to be given an opportunity, to be trustworthy.”
Perez might be eyeing a much-needed return to kind on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez this weekend.
