Red Bull succession plan becomes clearer as Helmut Marko rules out two options
Red Bull chief Helmut Marko has appeared to rule out two drivers in the running to replace Sergio Perez.
Perez, 34, is entering the fourth and final year of his contract and is expected to leave Red Bull at the end of the season. The Mexican, who finished second behind Max Verstappen in the Drivers' Championships in 2023, is yet to be offered an extension.
He finished a mammoth 290 points adrift of runaway world champion Verstappen and won just two races during the entire season. Carlos Sainz has been widely tipped to replace Perez in 2025, despite struggling and finishing down in seventh with Ferrari.
However, Marko has admitted the Red Bull bosses will take their time over weighing up a final decision. "Sainz probably wants to make a decision sooner than we do," he told Motorsport-Total.
Meanwhile, Alex Albon has also been linked with a return. The 27-year-old drove alongside Verstappen for two years at Red Bull, but Marko was dismissive of the idea and cited his situation at Williams. "Albon is not an issue for us, he has a contract until 2025," the 80-year-old continued.
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As for Perez, he could earn a new deal if his performances are consistent throughout the campaign, according to Marko. "He still has a contract for 2024. It's up to him," Marko said. "If he drives in a similar form to how he completed the last races, then we can easily talk about a further extension."
Speaking at the Red Bull launch event in Milton Keynes earlier this month, Perez was in an upbeat mood and is hoping he can start the season - which gets underway in Bahrain next weekend - well.
Helmut Marko will play a key role in deciding Sergio Perez's Red Bull future (Getty Images)"I've been trying to get the best overall understanding of the directions the team have taken with this car and where we have been with the car – that is something we have worked really hard to understand, which direction we have been pushing," Perez said at the time.
"We started the year really strong but we didn’t really improve all year. It is something to keep aware of – to make the right steps in the right direction. There were times [last year] where I was lacking confidence. It’s important to develop that through the season, chipping away each weekend."
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