Sergio Perez is making significant strides as he approaches the critical period of contract negotiations with Red Bull for the 2025 season. In a recent turn of events, Perez showcased his competitive edge by narrowly missing the pole position at Suzuka, clocking in just under a tenth of a second slower, much to the dismay of Max Verstappen, his teammate, who was less impressed with his own performance.
Dr. Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s leading Formula 1 consultant, finds himself pondering the future amid Perez’s return to the front row, noting, “I have to think, because it was a long time ago.”
Speculation was rife not so long ago that Fernando Alonso might be in the running to take over the seat from the 34-year-old Mexican at Red Bull for the 2025 season. However, Verstappen expressed at Suzuka that bringing in a 42-year-old like Alonso would be a peculiar move for the energy drink titan. It seems Marko is inclined to agree with his star driver’s sentiments.
When probed about the possibility of Alonso joining forces with Verstappen, Marko conveyed to formel1.de at Suzuka, “I think that would be difficult. I don’t know why, but they don’t belong together at Red Bull.”
While Alonso was once a contender for the vacant Mercedes seat in 2025, it now looks more likely he will continue his tenure at Aston Martin. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz emerges as another potential candidate for Red Bull’s consideration.
Reflecting on Sainz’s past performance, Marko remarked to Sky Deutschland, “He had a very good year at Toro Rosso back then. Sainz is certainly a name to consider too. He is in incredible form. Sainz came into Formula 1 through Red Bull and he is certainly a name that you have to take into account.”
However, Ralf Schumacher weighed in on the situation, suggesting, “He (Sainz) won’t be the number 1 priority, because Marko already let him go. He already had him against Max and he said then that Max is clearly the better one. So it would be difficult for Carlos if Dr Marko makes that decision now. But what is clear is that it has to be done now. It has to be decided now when Sainz and Alonso are still on the market.”
The frenzy surrounding the 2025 driver lineup is already underway, yet Perez has demonstrated considerable improvement this year, positioning him as a strong contender for securing his place with Red Bull.
Marko shed light on Perez’s renewed approach this season, telling ORF, “Checo has started with a different attitude this year. He is no longer trying to follow his own technical path. The cars are almost identical in terms of setup, and that’s what makes the difference in the end. It looks like he can do it, but perhaps it is very motivating for him that next year’s contracts are at stake, this year much earlier than usual. Normally, we don’t talk about driver decisions at all in April. But it’s still too early for us. We will certainly wait a while before we make a decision.”
GMM
