Sergio Pérez’s future at Pink Bull might be on the agenda as workforce principal Christian Horner and advisor Helmut Marko meet on Monday to debate the workforce’s faltering 2024 season.
Pérez’s poor type over the previous races and the resurgence of McLaren has seen Pink Bull’s constructors’ championship lead whittled all the way down to 42 factors going into the summer time break.
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Sources have advised ESPN there’s a very actual prospect of Pérez being changed by both RB’s Daniel Ricciardo or Pink Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson earlier than the Dutch Grand Prix on Aug. 25.
Pérez appeared to have made a turnaround in qualifying on the Belgian Grand Prix, however he light through the race itself.
Requested after the race if he was disillusioned with Pérez’s efficiency, Horner merely stated: “I believe based mostly on his beginning place, we did not envisage ending eighth from second on the grid.”
Racing advisor Marko was extra blunt about Pérez’s efficiency.
“Sergio had the chance to take end result from second place,” he stated. “Sadly, that wasn’t the case. Particularly within the final stint, he fully collapsed.”
A right away determination just isn’t anticipated to be taken on Pérez, with Ricciardo and Lawson each set to happen in a content material filming day at Imola in Italy this week.
Whereas mileage is at all times restricted at such occasions, sources say Pink Bull use the day to guage the 2 alongside one another. Though the prospect has diminished lately, there’s nonetheless a state of affairs the place Ricciardo is dropped for Lawson at RB.
Monday’s assembly is predicted to set the stakes for the Ricciardo and Lawson check, particularly if Horner and Marko really feel the specter of dropping the constructors’ championship outweighs different issues.
Marko added: “For us, the scenario is such that we are going to additionally undergo the general scenario for 2025. We have now plenty of drivers and we have now an idea.”
Horner downplayed the significance of the Monday assembly.
“We’re continuously analysing it,” he stated. “We have got a gathering, however it’s not nearly Checo [Pérez]. We have now different matters on the agenda as properly, which we at all times do going into the summer time break.
“For us, extending the lead going into the summer time break for Max, will give him a greater relaxation. I believe for us, the main focus is on the constructors’, the place we have seen one other seven or eight factors taken off us in the present day. We have to flip that round popping out of the break in Zandvoort.”
Horner has by no means publicly stated Pérez’s seat is underneath quick risk however it has been made clear that’s the case privately.
He referenced the choice dealing with him on Sunday night after the race at Spa-Francorchamps, though it nonetheless seems to be an end result he desires to keep away from.
“No person desires to make that call,” Horner stated. “Clearly you guys speak about it each day. However within the workforce, we wish to get [Pérez] going, we wish to perceive, give him a automotive, you see glimpses, his race tempo final weekend was robust.
“He had the fourth-best race tempo in Budapest, however he had a tough Saturday with a crash in qualy, he did job yesterday. To be five-hundredths off Charles [Leclerc] on a scrubbed set of tires, and put it on the entrance row was an incredible effort. At the moment, his race light.
“After all, you are taking so many issues into consideration, however it’s been an amazing partnership between the 2 of them. Checo, he is an amazing workforce participant, he is an enormous workforce participant, and that is why he was chosen, that is why we took him on the finish of 2020 to place alongside Max.
“He is gained what, six, seven races for us, second on the earth championship final 12 months, goodness is aware of what number of podiums. It has been essentially the most profitable mixture we have ever had as a driver pairing. What’s irritating for everyone is Checo struggling, as a result of no person desires to see him battle. All people desires to see him succeed.
“The workforce has been and is correct behind him, everyone desires to see him succeed, as a result of it hurts seeing him within the scenario that’s.”