Horner delivers cryptic response on Perez future

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has delivered a cryptic response regarding the future of Sergio Perez. 

The Mexican driver’s position in the team has been a major talking point in the F1 paddock for most of the season due to the 34-year-old underdelivering. 

Perez has a contract for next year, however, a meeting is set to take place after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix between Red Bull shareholders to make a final call on his future. 

RB driver Liam Lawson is the reported favourite should Perez not be retained, which would result in a fifth different driver partnering with four-time F1 champion Max Verstappen. 

Across the last seven races, Perez has scored just nine points, compared to Verstappen’s 126 since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Horner confirmed a decision will have been made on Verstappen’s team-mate by mid-December.

“Our second driver might have made a decision on our second driver at that point,” Horner told the New York Times.

“So after the season, we will sit down and review the year.”

When asked if he already knows who will partner Verstappen next season, Horner answered: “First of all, let’s go through the review.”