Pink Bull workforce principal Christian Horner has admitted that giving Sergio Perez an early contract extension this 12 months to attempt to clear the Mexican’s thoughts of worries “didn’t work”.
The Milton Keynes-based squad is anticipated to make a name on its 2025 driver line-up subsequent week, with mounting hypothesis that it might elect to drop Perez in favour of certainly one of its RB children Liam Lawson or Yuki Tsunoda.
This comes regardless of Pink Bull having prolonged Perez’s contract again in June till the top of 2026, primarily based on his sturdy begin to the season and since the outfit didn’t need him to be involved about his place inside the squad.
However with Perez’s type having dipped ever since he signed his deal, Horner has not shied away from admitting that issues didn’t end up the best way that the workforce had wished.
“Clearly, on the time, Sergio was performing extraordinarily properly,” mentioned Horner concerning the considering of going early with the deal.
“I feel he had 4 podiums within the first 5 races and, to be able to settle his thoughts and lengthen that run of type for the remainder of the season, we elected to go early – which clearly did not work. That is simply life generally.
Sergio Perez, Pink Bull Racing RB20
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs
“However I feel with Checo you must look past this 12 months for the contribution that he is made to our workforce. He is been a fantastic workforce participant. He is a fantastic individual. He is extraordinarily well-liked inside the workforce. He is labored very onerous over the 4 years that he is been with us and he is performed a significant position within the constructors’ championships that we have gained, the 5 grand prix victories that he had in our automotive.
“It has been essentially the most profitable pairing that we have ever had, ending first and second within the drivers’ championship final 12 months.”
Horner mentioned that no one was completely satisfied that issues had not turned out as anticipated with Perez, with the assembly of shareholders to debate the longer term set for Monday.
However repeating current remarks about suggesting the ball was in Perez’s court docket with reference to his future, it appears clear that some contractual deal will should be made for a change on the squad.
Requested if Pink Bull had made its thoughts up about which driver it wished alongside Max Verstappen in 2025, Horner mentioned: “We’re lucky that we have an amazing pool of expertise.
“It was good to see Isack Hadjar getting a run out as properly in free apply. We have got two gifted drivers in VCARB [RB], so till the scenario is obvious with Sergio and what he desires to do, every thing else is solely hypothesis.”
Learn Additionally:
On this article
Jonathan Noble
System 1
Sergio Perez
Pink Bull Racing
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