Why ‘$33 MILLION’ Sergio Perez contract dilemma is LOOMING for Red Bull

Harry Smith


Wednesday 5 April 2023 13:57 – Updated: 13:58

Sergio Perez will hope that 2023 delivers his most successful season in F1 to date, with a contract dilemma looming in the not-too-distant future for his mighty Red Bull team.

The 33-year-old Mexican could quickly find himself under pressure if he fails to consistently convert the dominant pace of the RB19 into consistent results.

With his current deal up in 2024 and the debate raging on over whether or not he has the ability to challenge for a world title, speculation about his long-term future is only likely to intensify in the coming months.

Recent comments from AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost will only fan those flames, after he suggested Yuki Tsunoda will be ready for the step up to Red Bull in 2025.

Perez’s 2023 season has kicked off in dramatic fashion – he was miles off the pace of team-mate Verstappen in Bahrain but converted pole position into a memorable win in Jeddah.

Checo’s dominance in the Saudi Arabian desert sparked hopes of a title challenge in 2023, but a major error in qualifying in Melbourne demonstrated there are still inconsistencies to iron out if Perez is to truly challenge team-mate Max Verstappen.

The case for Perez

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has been publicly supportive of Perez throughout the Mexican’s time with Red Bull, and the pair have a strong working relationship.

The Mexican was drafted into Red Bull following a string of disappointing hires as Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon both struggled in the shadow of team-mate Verstappen following the departure of Daniel Ricciardo in 2018.

The Mexican has perfectly lived up to his billing as the second driver at Red Bull, playing a supporting role in Verstappen’s 2021 and 2022 championship wins, although there are signs of some cracks appearing in their relationship.

Rumours have circulated that Verstappen has still not forgiven Checo for his qualifying spin in Monaco last season, while some dramatic radio messages in Sao Paulo put further strain on Red Bull’s team-mate relationship.

However, on-track results remain acceptable and while there is still a notable pace deficit to Verstappen, particularly in qualifying, Perez has so far converted that RB19 pace into results in 2023.

What is more, Perez offers an almost unmatched commercial value for Red Bull.

A recent study from Zoomph suggested that Perez generated $33 million in value from social media alone in 2022 – more than team-mate Verstappen – while his social media interaction figures are only bettered by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

This commercial impact could have a major role in deciding whether or not Checo is retained in 2025.

Red Bull’s dominance is perfect for Perez, but the 33-year-old could find himself under pressure if Aston Martin, Mercedes and Ferrari start to bridge the gap at the front end of the field.

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