Perez departure costs Red Bull millions
Red Bull has made its decision – Liam Lawson is Sergio Perez’s replacement and will take his seat next to Max Verstappen in 2025.
Perez leaves after a dramatic campaign, finishing a staggering 285 points behind his champion team-mate. The Mexican scored 49 points since the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in May to position himself eighth in the final standings.
His struggling form also resulted in Red Bull’s slump in the constructors’ table as the Milton Keynes-based squad could only muster third behind rivals McLaren and Ferrari.
Perez is taking a “sabbatical”, according to team boss Christian Horner, although the departure was not without its sticking points.
The situation was made more challenging due to Perez’s contract which was extended earlier this year following his strong start to the campaign.
Red Bull did previously have the chance to tear up the contract for free, but it let that opportunity slip during the summer break when it opted not to make a driver line-up change ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix.
As a result, the team shot itself in the foot – the departure of Perez, as well as the exit of Daniel Ricciardo after Singapore, cost millions after long negotiations.
The announcement surrounding Perez followed a week and a half after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which indicates there were some wrinkles to be ironed out. After all, Red Bull was already making a final decision at an important meeting on Monday after the last race.
The loss of sponsors
There is no doubt Perez will receive a hefty sum from Red Bull. After Ricciardo, it is the second major cash outlay the team has to make, in addition to a host of sponsors who will also leave.
Red Bull had the chance to cut its losses in the summer break and save money. Of course, the team was looking primarily at the sporting aspect, but in the end, that also did little to help.
Perez greatly underperformed and Lawson only had six races to become accustomed to the RB and prove himself. With a little more experience, the team could have better justified a driver rotation.
Lawson performed admirably but was still down on the level of team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.
Now Red Bull must lick its wounds as the Lawson promotion is a major gamble.
The New Zealander has only driven 11 races and is already taking on the significant challenge alongside Verstappen.
In the past, the inexperienced Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon have not fared well, which only increases the pressure on the New Zealander.
It is to be hoped for both Red Bull and Lawson that things will improve now otherwise the problems will increase further. Who will fill the seat next to the Dutchman if Lawson does not deliver? It certainly does not appear to have confidence in Tsunoda.
But the fact remains that Red Bull could have better managed the parting of Perez and Ricciardo.
While it makes sense for Perez to leave the field, the team could have saved itself a lot of grey hairs by acting sooner. The decisiveness was lacking from the once dominant team.
