Perez contradicts Marko on F1 seat: 'Clarity within a month'

According to Helmut Marko, it is still too early for Red Bull Racing to make any decisions regarding the Formula 1 seat next to Max Verstappen in 2025, but as far as Sergio Perez is concerned, negotiations can be concluded soon. He expects to have clarity on his future within a month.

Ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, Perez already spoke out about his contract with Red Bull. He indicated that talks on a contract extension had not yet begun, but that he assumed this would happen soon. Marko, on the other hand, stated that he suspected the uncertainty over his contract was motivating for the Mexican.

Perez, however, stressed again not to worry. "I’m pretty relaxed about it, This is my 14th season in F1, and whatever comes next, I’m really pleased with what I have done in the sport so far. But I believe it will be a matter of time. Obviously, the driver market is moving, and the next few weeks are going to have a lot of movement, for sure. I expect within a month to really know what I am doing next year," he told Sky Sports.

The performances Perez is showing so far in the current F1 season will give Red Bull little reason to look further ahead. With the exception of the disappointing weekend in Melbourne, he managed to finish all races with a second-place finish. In Japan, he also recorded the second fastest time in qualifying, after which team principal Christian Horner stated that the driver is currently "doing everything he needs to do" to keep his seat in 2025.