Sergio Perez will stay involved with Red Bull in 2025 and will perform some “show runs” for the team despite losing his F1 seat.
Last week, the Mexican driver lost his spot in the team after four years as Max Verstappen’s teammate, with Liam Lawson replacing him.
The decision from Red Bull boss Christian Horner followed a torrid season for Perez, in which he finished 285 points behind world champion Verstappen.
Yet Horner told talkSPORT shortly after the decision that Perez will stay associated with Red Bull as he decides on his long-term future in the sport.
When directly asked if Perez had been sacked, Horner replied: “No, it’s a little different to that.
“Sergio has been with us for four years and, for the first three years, he played a huge role in the team and certainly that first Drivers’ World Championship.
“You’ve only got to think back to Abu Dhabi ’21, the role that he played for the team on that day; constructors’ champions in 2022/23; he was second in the drivers’ championship last year.
“He’s just had a really tough year this year and we sat down last week – we’d obviously been talking about it a little bit beforehand – and decided that it was right for both of us, just to step back, for him to step out of the car, take a bit of time with his family, work out what he wants to do.
“He’s still going to be involved with the team. He will be doing a couple of show runs with us during next year.
“But it was right for him – because it wasn’t enjoyable for him either, getting all this scrutiny and pressure and expectation every weekend.”
Lawson was picked ahead of RB teammate Yuki Tsunoda for the promotion to Red Bull, while F2 runner-up Isack Hadjar takes Lawson’s spot as Tsunoda’s teammate for 2025.
The 2025 F1 season starts on 16 March in Australia.
