Perez confirms departure from Red Bull Racing

Sergio Perez has confirmed he will leave Red Bull Racing with immediate effect.

The Mexican has been a driver for the Tilbrook team since 2021, where he helped the team to three consecutive constructor’s championships. He also finished second in the driver’s standings in 2023, picking up five wins for the squad alongside Max Verstappen.

His performances in 2024 though were severely underwhelming, sparking rumours he would be replaced midseason by Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian too was replaced in the middle of the campaign though, with New Zealander Liam Lawson taking over. The Kiwi is now heavily linked to replace Perez at Red Bull.

Following back-to-back retirements in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, Perez has called time on his stint in Tilbrook with an eighth place finish in the standings.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the past four years with Red Bull Racing and for the opportunity to race with such an amazing team,” he wrote. “Driving for Red Bull has been an unforgettable experience and I’ll always cherish the successes we achieved together.

“We broke records, reached remarkable milestones, and I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people along the way.

A big thank you to every person in the team from the management, engineers and mechanics, catering, hospitality, kitchen, marketing and communications, as well as everyone at Milton Keynes, I wish you all the best for the future.

“It has also been an honour to race alongside Max as a teammate all these years and to share in our success. A special thank you to the fans around the world, and especially to the Mexican fans for your unwavering support every day. We’ll meet again soon.”

Team boss Christian Horner said: “I would like to thank Checo for all he has done for Red Bull Racing over the past four seasons. From the moment he joined in 2021 he proved himself to be an extraordinary team player, helping us to two constructors’ titles and to our first 1-2 finish in the driver’s championship.

“His five wins, all on street circuits, were also a spectacular mark of his determination to always push to the limit. While Checo will not race for the team next season, he will always be an extremely popular team member and a treasured part of our history. Thank you, Checo.”