Sergio Perez has reportedly put a “$16 million” price tag on his Red Bull contract with Nico Rosberg revealing he “wants his money at least” if he’s not going to race.
Perez may already know his Red Bull fate after Helmut Marko revealed on Sunday after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that a “decision will be made” on Monday, however, there won’t be an announcement until later in the week.
Nico Rosberg reveals Sergio Perez’s ‘$16 million’ price tag.
Perez was asked about his future after his Lap 1 DNF at the season-ending Grand Prix and, for the first time, wavered in his certainty as he spoke with the media, including PlanetF1.com.
“Well, at the moment, I don’t know,” he said. “I just know that I’ve got a contract to race next year. And unless something changes in the coming days, that’s going to be the situation for next year.
“We are talking to try to see what’s best moving forward. We’re going to be talking in the coming days and we will discuss what the situation is from both parties and see if we are able to reach an agreement.
If not, like I said, I’ve got a contract for next year.”
Adamant that he would not resign on his own volition, Rosberg reckons that ‘agreement’ for F1 2025 hinges on Perez being paid out by Red Bull.
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Sergio Perez has been one of the mysteries of recent times, how you can lose so extremely your form,” the 2016 World Champion told Sky F1.
He’s just so far back like he struggles to get within six or seven-tenths of Max [Verstappen], which is huge in F1.
“That’s why all the rumours suggest that he’s on his way out, but he hasn’t confirmed it yet, because he does have a contract apparently for next year.
“And we’ve heard rumours it’s around 16 million there at play. He wants his money at least, so he’s not going to go away that easily. And I think there’s a bit of lawyer discussions going on at the moment.”
Nico Rosberg asks the big question: Who should replace him?
Perez joined Red Bull in 2021 and while he helped Max Verstappen at a crucial moment in that year’s season finale in Abu Dhabi and last year brought Red Bull their first 1-2 in the Drivers’ standings behind his World Champion team-mate, he has failed to take the fight to Verstappen.
Mexican driver, alongside other Verstappen’s teammates argue that being a teammate to the Dutchman is the most challenging role in Formula 1. Even the Red Bull team boss Christian Horner confesses that Verstappen is ‘complete’ and knows why he has the precision ‘that you don’t see very often’.
It means deciding who will be the next man to take the job next season is a cause for a headache for Red Bull with Racing Bull’s Liam Lawson favored to take the helm soon.
If Lawson, who completed last year’s Young Driver Test for Red Bull before getting a one-off race debut in place of the fractured hand Ricciardo, enters Red Bull he will bring a staggering, er, 11 Grands Prix and six World Championship points.
“Who should replace him?” Rosberg pondered. Yes, it is really difficult achoice and the options are not so great also because of the inexperience on Lawson side.
“But I guess the rumours are, again, that they’re going to go for Lawson, the new driver they have joined in the Racing Bull’s car recently.”
And, yeah, I mean, that’s not an obvious one either because against Yuki Tsunoda it’s not like he’s been like on a different planet, he’s been there or thereabouts. But I suppose that is the risk they will take and they should be taking Red Bull ‘Notorious’ and ‘Crashing’ are just part of the racers’ persona’s and should be expected; it creates a brand image which is exciting and marketable.