Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has insisted Sergio Perez has chosen to “take some time out” from Formula 1, despite the driver’s insistence that he continue racing.
Perez has signed a contract to race for Red Bull for the next two seasons and has repeatedly said he has no intention of leaving until the end-of-season Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, although he admitted talks are planned regarding his future. After Perez and Red Bull announced they had agreed to leave the club with immediate effect, Horner said he had incited the Mexican to leave.
“This was the culmination of everything,” Horner told ESPN. “Checo started the season very strong, finishing on the podium in four out of five races. It felt as if he had picked up where he left off last year.
“But it was a very difficult year for him after the Monte Carlo race. We tried everything with him, supported him, and basically came to the conclusion that he thought now was the right time. “I’m taking a step back from Formula 1 to spend some time.”
Sources close to Perez refute Horner’s claims, but the Red Bull team principal also revealed his belief that the 34-year-old may not return to F1 in 2025 due to race seats not being available outside of the Red Bull setup.
“I think it’s important for the Czech Republic to take some time away and spend it with family,” Horner said. “He rode the treadmill for a long time. [he has to] Find out if he wants to continue competing in Formula 1 or look into other categories, sports cars or something else for that matter.
“But above all, he needs to take some time to see how much he misses driving a Grand Prix car, and only then can he decide what he wants for his future.”
RACER understands Liam Lawson will replace Perez, with Horner telling Sky Sports: “We have all the information we need.
“Essentially it will be a choice between Yuki. [Tsunoda] And Liam. Both have strong credentials. We recently tested Yuki at a tire test in Abu Dhabi to get the chance to work with the engineering team. Liam has done a lot of testing with us backstage again this year and has driven very well in the six or seven races he has had.
“So we have all the information. “We are looking at all of this, taking it into consideration, discussing it with our engineering team, and we will come to a conclusion in the next few days.”
