Sergio Perez has admitted his 2024 season has been “terrible” amid a sustained poor run of form which continues to cast doubt on his Red Bull future beyond the end of this year.
Speaking on Thursday ahead of his home Mexico City Grand Prix, where he believes a strong result can act as a “U-turn” for his disappointing campaign, Perez opened up about his “difficult” season amid his struggles with Red Bull’s 2024 car.
Since a strong start to the year saw him claim four podium finishes in the opening five races as reigning champions Red Bull initially remained dominant, Perez has slipped to eighth in the standings – behind all his key rivals from the other top-four teams – having scored just 30 per cent of their total points next to title-leading team-mate Max Verstappen.
“I know I’ve had a terrible season, a very difficult one,” said Perez in Thursday’s press conference at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez having gone 14 races without a podium.
“It started really well but it’s been really, really difficult. If I get a strong result (this weekend) it can definitely change my season massively in terms of personal feeling. So I’m really up for it.”
Perez’s start to the season soon earned him a two-year contract extension until the end of the 2026 season but, with Red Bull’s bosses not denying that his new term contains performance clauses, the Mexican’s subsequent slump in form has led to sustained speculation about his future.
After Red Bull chose to stick with him beyond the summer break, Perez produced his best form for months at September’s Azerbaijan GP but finished without anything to show for it after a last-lap collision with Carlos Sainz.
He then finished 10th and seventh at the following two races in Singapore and the USA.
“Momentum in Formula 1 is very important, you just put the car on track and you know everything is working and you are so further ahead of the people who put the car on track and have a lot of problems,” said Perez, who has won six grands prix in his 13-year career.
“I think it’s the same for everyone. But I also know how this sport works and it’s all about your last race.
“I got a good one in Baku but it didn’t work out. If I get a good one here then my season here can definitely take a U-turn. The most important (thing) is we are able to feel comfortable with the car… at the moment we are just not able to unlock the full potential of the car.
“We come to the weekends trying a lot of things every weekend and so it makes the whole grand prix a lot more difficult.”
Tsunoda hopeful of finally landing his first Red Bull test
Amid uncertainty over Perez’s position at Red Bull’s senior outfit, RB’s Yuki Tsunoda is hopeful of finally landing a test for the world champion team to show what he is capable of.
Despite outperforming his last two team-mates – Nyck de Vries and Daniel Ricciardo – at RB, Red Bull’s junior team, Tsunoda has not appeared to be under serious consideration for an in-house promotion.
After Ricciardo was dropped following last month’s Singapore GP, Liam Lawson – who impressed in a five-race cameo for the Italy-based team last year – has now joined Tsunoda at RB for at least the final races of this season in what is being viewed as a head-to-head shootout to replace Perez should Red Bull’s bosses make a change at their main team for 2025.
But while Lawson has already previously tested for the main Red Bull team, Tsunoda is yet to do so in his four seasons of F1 so far – but the 24-year-old Japanese driver has now indicated that situation may be poised to change.
“It’s a very good opportunity,” said Tsunoda on Thursday.
“At least I can finally show a bit of my driving and the engineers can see how I’m driving. I think it’s very important.
“It feels great finally they are giving me an opportunity. I don’t know if it still happens or not but it’s not something I even heard through them directly at least. I’ll try to maximise the opportunity.”
Tsunoda’s career has been backed by Honda, Red Bull’s current engine partners, and the Japanese firm’s bosses revealed recently that they had spoken to team principal Christian Horner about such an opportunity.
“They’ve definitely helped me to push that testing,” confirmed Tsunoda.
Sky Sports F1’s live Mexico City GP schedule
Friday October 25
7pm: Mexico City GP Practice One (session starts at 7.30pm)
9pm: The F1 Show
10.45pm: Mexico City GP Practice Two (session starts at 11pm)*
Saturday October 26
6.15pm: Mexico City GP Practice Three (session starts at 6.30pm)
9pm: Mexico City GP Qualifying build-up*
10pm: Mexico City GP Qualifying*
Sunday October 27
6.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Mexico City GP build-up*
8pm: THE MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX*
10pm: Chequered Flag: Mexico City GP reaction
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event (Race build-up on Sunday from 7.30pm)
Formula 1’s Americas triple header continues this weekend with the Mexico City Grand Prix, with every session live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime
