Red Bull's Dilemma: Can Perez's Form Turn Around Before It's Too Late?
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The 2024 British Grand Prix at Silverstone is one that Sergio Perez would rather forget. The weekend kicked off badly for him, missing substantial track time in the first practice. Things only went downhill from there, culminating in a frustrating and nearly pointless finish in P17, leaving Red Bull team principal Christian Horner visibly concerned.
Struggles Amidst Rising Competition
After a promising performance in the second practice where he finished P3, Perez’s trajectory took a nose dive during the qualifying session. He found himself in the gravel trap in Q1, a misstep that meant he couldn't progress further. This blunder provided an opportunity for the team to replace his engine, relegating him to start from the pit lane on race day.
Things didn't get much better during the race. Initial gambles on intermediate tires failed to pay off, adding to the frustration. The Mexican driver’s best result in recent weeks has been a P7 finish in Austria. Horner pointedly mentioned that only one car scoring points isn’t enough, especially with competitors closing in fast in the Constructors’ Championship.
High Stakes for Perez
“Perez knows it’s unsustainable to not be scoring points – we have to be scoring points in that car, and he knows that,” said Horner. He added, “It’s something we’re acutely aware of; to win the Constructors’ Championship, you need both cars scoring.” Despite extending his contract with Red Bull until the end of 2026, Perez’s current form has done little to justify the team’s faith in him.
The frustration is palpable. Missing out on crucial practice sessions, botching qualifying, and then struggling to make any significant progress during races cannot continue if Red Bull wants to remain competitive. To add salt to the wounds, Max Verstappen was the only point-scorer for the team, finishing in P2. With the introduction of a new floor to Perez’s car planned for Hungary, there’s a glimpse of hope that this upgrade might give him the performance boost he desperately needs.
The Potential for Change
Meanwhile, Red Bull’s reserve driver Liam Lawson is set to undergo a test session, reminiscent of the one Daniel Ricciardo took part in before replacing Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri. This has sparked speculations on whether a shuffle in the driving lineup could be imminent should Perez’s form not improve.
When asked about the timing of Lawson’s test session and its implications, Horner clarified, “The Liam test aero run has been planned for a couple of months now. Checo is obviously under pressure, but that’s normal in Formula 1. When you’re under-delivering, that pressure only increases.”
Path Forward
Despite a grim performance at Silverstone, Horner remains hopeful. “This weekend, nothing really went his way. We took a gamble with the hard tire at the start, and though he was making progress, the arrival of rain threw a wrench into those plans. The switch to intermediate tires didn’t pan out, resulting in a significant time loss on an already drying track.”
Red Bull's faith in Perez isn't unfounded, but performance in high-stakes races will determine if that faith was rightly placed. All eyes will be on Hungary as Perez gets a new floor and perhaps his last golden chance to redeem himself this season.