Sergio Perez is contracted to drive for Red Bull until the end of the 2024 season. However, with a drop in performance in 2023, rumors began to float that his time with the team would end prematurely. It strengthened after more poor qualifying sessions and a rising gap with his teammate Max Verstappen. The tension peaked at Mexico after Perez retired from the race early after bumping wheels with Charles Leclerc into turn one.

Now, Red Bull chief advisor Helmut Marko has step in and dismissed any claims that Perez would not drive for the team for the 2024 season. Daniel Ricciardo has been doing well with Alpha Tauri, though he missed five races due to a wrist injury. Ricciardo scored points by placing 7th in the Mexican Grand Prix, while Perez scored none. After fans began to talk more about Ricciardo replacing Perez in 2024, Helmut Marko waved the rumors aside.

Checo has a contract for 2024 and that will happen. He had a super weekend until the first lap of the race and I am convinced that he would have been on the podium.

Helmut Marko speaking to Sky Sports F1

Marko had recently come under fire for attributing Perez’s low performance to South American heritage, even though Perez is Mexican, ie North American. This statement contrasts his previous remarks and will certainly relieve Perez of some of the pressure on him after scoring no points in his home GP.

Perez currently stands 2nd in the standings, but Lewis Hamilton is not far off. The gap between the two is only 20 points, with three Grand Prix weekends and one sprint. Hamilton has scored six top-three finishes this season, while Perez has stood on the podium eight times, two being race wins. 

Christian Horner claims Sergio Perez was innocent in Mexico crash

Sergio Perez retired from his home Grand Prix early after a turn-one incident. Perez got a better start than his rivals and tried to overtake around the outside of Charles Leclerc for the race’s lead. However, Leclerc was left between the Red Bulls with nowhere to go and clashed with Perez, who spun out with damage and eventually retired.

Christian Horner felt that Perez could not be blamed for being aggressive at the start, deeming it a ‘racing incident’. Horner said that he understood Perez’s urge to attempt an impressive move on home soil while speaking to the media after the race.

He got the draft and the tow from the three cars ahead and so arrived [at Turn 1] with massive overspeed. You can’t blame him at his home race, going to try and take the lead of the Grand Prix.

Christian Horner said, as reported by racingnews365.com

Horner remarked that it’s natural for a racing driver to try and overtake for the lead in their home Grand Prix. He told reporters that he reassured Checo after the race, telling him he would get another opportunity in Brazil this weekend. 

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