Credits: IMAGO / Motorsport Images

Sergio Perez has been under threat of being replaced at Red Bull for over two years now. The Mexican driver has had a hard time keeping up with Max Verstappen despite securing P2 in the drivers’ standings last year. Amid news of potential names popping up to replace him, F1 expert Robert Doornbos reveals Perez actually asked his team for a contract extension. However, the response from the team was far from positive.

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As per F1 Maximaal, Doornbos said, “Pérez went to that team yesterday and said, I want a three-year deal. At the table there is a laughing reaction to the anecdote.”

Doornbos claimed the person to reject Perez‘s three-year ask was Helmut Marko. Detailing further, he explained that Red Bull should only consider giving Perez a one-year extension. Handing him a two-year deal would mean Perez would “sit back and give up again.” Thus, Doornbos, too, is in favor of letting Perez run every year on a one-year deal.

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While Perez’s future is still uncertain, it seems unlikely that the question mark over the same will go away anytime soon. Despite a strong return to form, Christian Horner claimed it was still too early to make a decision on Perez’s future. Helmut Marko also chimed in as he explained his team doesn’t talk about driver decisions in April. Despite the acceleration in the headlines, Red Bull remains adamant about seeing how things evolve before making a decision.

Sergio Perez riding through a dark tunnel with no idea of what’s to come

The start of the 2024 season has been mostly positive for Perez, with 3 2nd-place finishes in 4 races. Owing to the same, Perez has climbed up to P2 in the drivers’ standings with a 5-point lead over P3. Given the same, Red Bull management has been happy with his performances leading to his exit rumors dying down a little. Helmut Marko was particularly impressed with the improvements of Perez, given he has stopped experimenting with his car. The Mexican has shown a lot more confidence in the team’s engineers leading to positive results.

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However, 2024 hasn’t only been smooth sailing for Perez. The Australian GP saw all of Red Bull’s hopes fall on his shoulders after Max Verstappen suffered a DNF. Driving under extra pressure, the 33-year-old could only muster up a P5 finish, leaving Ferrari as the only team to feature on the podium in each race this season. Hence, there are still chances of Perez crumbling under pressure, which would lead to the team replacing him.

Should this happen, Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz stand as the immediate candidates to fill the seat. Both drivers are currently out of a contract for 2025 and looking for employment. Hence, Perez needs to ensure he keeps Verstappen in his sight till the season’s end to stand a chance of getting a contract.