The Verstappen lap that destroyed Perez’s Red Bull career

In the end, Sergio Perez’s exit from Red Bull came as no surprise after a dreadful 2024 season in which he hauled a meagre 48 points from the final 18 races.

The Mexican had worked hard to dig himself out of a slump in 2023 and started what would turn out to be his last season with four podiums in the first five races – following Verstappen home for three one-two finishes.

This was exactly what was required, but for whatever reason, he could not continue the form and after a dreadful run was finally relieved of the pressure, to be replaced by Liam Lawson for 2025.

But the roots of Perez’s alarming slump comes not in 2024, but back at the 2023 Miami Grand Prix.

Verstappen vs Perez

Perez started F1’s second trip to Miami on pole position with Verstappen down in ninth following a mistake on his first Q3 lap and then Charles Leclerc’s crash bringing an early end to the segment. 

For Perez, this was a golden opportunity to claim a third win of the season by clearing off in the RB19 as Verstappen made his way through the traffic, and the start went according to plan as Perez maintained his lead. 

Verstappen was on a contra-strategy, running long in his middle stint, setting up the prospect of a late race duel between the two with the Dutchman on softer, fresher tyres to Perez’s well-used hards. 

Unfortunately, Perez was unable to truly shake off the field and break away, with Verstappen pitting from the lead on lap 45, handing back Perez the net race lead.

But he was within striking distance, and at the start of lap 48, Verstappen scythed past his team-mate at Turn 1 and that was that as he recorded a third win after the pair had traded victories in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Azerbaijan. 

Although he still banked second, this was a disastrous outcome for Perez – this was a race he should have won comfortably.

His form, not helped by an upgrade in Spain Red Bull has since admitted sent it down the wrong path, subsequently crumbled – the only saving grace for the constructors being the mighty RB19 itself that masked the wide gulf to Verstappen – a title he himself would have won by 166 points from Mercedes.