Helmut Marko still has faith in Sergio Perez’s ability (Image: Getty)
Helmut Marko has shut down rumours that Liberty Media played a significant role in Red Bull’s decision to keep Sergio Perez in the second seat for the remainder of the 2024 campaign.
Perez was awarded a new contract ahead of the race in Montreal with the hope that job security would allow him to kick on. However, since then his performance level has nosedived and he entered the summer shutdown without a top-six finish in his last eight Grands Prix.
These struggles have allowed McLaren to close at a rate of knots, moving within 42 points of Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship. With their title at risk, Marko and Christian Horner planned crisis talks for the summer break with the Belgian Grand Prix allegedly Perez’s final chance to impress and save his job.
With the pressure on, Perez laboured to a seventh-place finish after starting from the front row. The writing looked to be on the wall. However, Red Bull came to the conclusion that, having assessed the alternatives, the right move would be to stick with their man.
This was, understandably, a controversial decision, and some reports suggested that Liberty Media played a role in the decision, jumping in to intervene over fears that the Mexican Grand Prix later this year would see a significant decline in attendance if Perez was to lose his drive.
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Sergio Perez will keep his seat for the remainder of the season at least (Image: Getty)
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Marko vehemently denied this claim in his latest Speedweek column. “Perez doesn’t need to get faster, just more consistent,” the Red Bull advisor explained. “And given the alternatives, he is still our best solution.
“Reports that his continued commitment is due to Liberty Media’s desire for him to race in Mexico are not true. They certainly want him to race in his home race, but our choice of driver is not based on Liberty Media’s intentions.”
The news of Perez’s continued presence at Red Bull will come as frustration for Liam Lawson, who was in line for a seat at VCARB should either Daniel Ricciardo or Yuki Tsunoda step up to replace the six-time Grand Prix winner. He will now have to wait until 2025 for his shot.
“We will announce what happens next with Liam Lawson in September,” Marko added. “It has been planned for some time that he would be able to gain more Formula One experience in Imola. Even though the competition would like to use him on loan, he is not available for that.”
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