Christian Horner has confirmed that Pink Bull will maintain talks over the way forward for Sergio Perez on Monday, after the workforce’s motorsport adviser Helmut Marko mentioned the Mexican driver would “Complete collapse” on the Belgian Grand Prix.
Perez went into System 1’s ultimate race earlier than the summer time break below heavy strain, having scored simply 21 factors within the first seven rounds, a feat he achieved.
An improved qualifying efficiency earned him second place, however Perez fell behind within the race and completed eighth (later promoted to seventh as a consequence of George Russell’s disqualification), behind him Teammate Max Verstappen was third, who began from eleventh place after serving.
Marco advised sky germany: “Sergio had an opportunity to do effectively from second place. Sadly, that was not the case. Particularly within the final cease, he utterly collapsed.
“Sadly, what seemed so constructive in qualifying did not materialize within the race.”
Each Horner and Marko confirmed that Pink Bull will maintain a gathering on Monday forward of the workforce’s F1 summer time break later this week, throughout which Perez’s future might be on the agenda.
“Issues are always being analyzed,” Horner mentioned. “Now we have a gathering on Monday, but it surely’s not nearly Checo. There are different subjects on the agenda, which we at all times do earlier than the summer time holidays.”
There was hypothesis in current weeks that Perez may very well be changed by Pink Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson or one of many Pink Bull Junior Crew RB drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda substitute.
Pink Bull signed Perez to a two-year contract extension lower than two months in the past. Giving up on Perez mid-season would have been embarrassing for Pink Bull, however his poor type has seen McLaren transfer into the constructors’ championship. The hole narrowed to 42 factors.
Talking about Monday’s assembly, Marco added: “For us, the scenario is such that we are going to additionally have a look at the general scenario in 2025. Now we have some drivers, we now have an idea.”
“However after all, each end result is [important] For Sergio, going from second to eighth was actually not what we anticipated.
Horner: It is unhappy to see Perez struggling
Horner publicly supported Perez throughout his poor efficiency and mentioned it was “hurtful” for him personally to witness his driver’s struggles.
“Nobody needs to see Checo in bother, everybody needs to see him succeed,” he mentioned. “The workforce was and nonetheless is behind him. It saddens me to see the scenario he is in now.
“Checo has not carried out effectively in the previous few races. What confuses us is that he has began the season very effectively. He carried out effectively in qualifying.
“We have to look carefully and perceive the problems within the recreation and we now have time to try this.”
Horner instructed Perez may have been given extra time to show issues round, however Pink Bull are identified for making ruthless choices on their driver line-up.
“Nobody needs to decide like this,” he added. “You discuss it daily. Within the workforce we need to maintain him going and perceive him.
“He is as keenly conscious as anybody that we want efficiency from each automobiles, which is what we had at the beginning of the 12 months and what we have to get again to.”
Perez hopes to enhance ‘understanding’ throughout break
Perez’s hopes of a powerful race had been dampened when he misplaced a place at the beginning of the race to Lewis Hamilton, however he steadied himself and went sturdy within the first interval, then Did not carry out effectively on the second set of tires.
“We misplaced to Lewis however the first interval went effectively,” he advised us Sky Sports activities F1. “I held Piastri again and we had been in third. However then into the middle lane, caught in visitors, we misplaced Piastri’s place. We had been actually gradual within the straight line and that was us Want to know.
“On the second pit cease we had been too demanding on the tires and ended up doing solely 10 laps, which affected the entire race as a result of I ended up doing a protracted pit cease on the arduous floor, so general , our tires are weak.
Perez has expressed confidence that he won’t get replaced earlier than the tip of the season and stays sure that would be the case when expressing his want for the summer time break.
“It is about actually focusing with the workforce on what we have completed with the automotive over the previous few races,” he mentioned.
“The way in which we ended at present, I assumed it was a extremely good race to see what we had been doing with the tires. Then go from there.
“I believe that is crucial factor and what we now have to do as a workforce.”
System 1 returns after the summer time break with the Dutch Grand Prix happening in Zandvoort from August 23 to 25, reside on Sky Sports activities F1. Watch each F1 race and extra with a NOW Sports activities Month-to-month Membership – no contract, cancel anytime