D-Day for Perez: Why is the decision more complicated than it seems?
Red Bull Contentpool
General
- Ludo van Denderen
Not for the first time in 2024, it is D-Day for Sergio Perez. On this Monday, the day after the Formula 1 season has come to an end, the leading bosses within Red Bull Racing will decide the Mexican's fate at the Austrian team. The outcome seems easy to guess, but as it became clear earlier this season, more is taken into consideration than 'just' sporting performance.
After months of public denial, Perez also revealed for the first time in Abu Dhabi on Sunday that his fate at Red Bull was unclear. Yes, he pointed to his contract. But the Mexican also realised that a contract is a piece of paper that can be ripped up just like that for a nice financial compensation fee.
And that could just be the message to Perez when he has a meeting with Christian Horner and Helmut Marko sometime this Monday. "Let's have a discussion, sit down with Checo and reflect on the year. It would be inappropriate to comment on that at this time," was what Horner said ahead of upcoming meeting to GPblog among others in the paddock in Abu Dhabi.
Perez should leave, then what?
Should the outcome of the meeting - as thus basically expected - turn out to be in the negative for Perez, the next phase will be: How to proceed? Not only with the Mexican's succession, certainly also with Perez. Will he perhaps continue as the team's ambassador? And how much will he get as a ransom?
Perhaps, most importantly, from a corporate point-of-view, how to prevent Red Bull - which sells many cans of their energy drink in Mexico - damaging their reputation in the country? If Perez has to step down, it will cause a wave of anger at least in Latin America, as Perez is by far the most popular sportsman in that region. Perez's supporters have already been emphatic and vociferous on Red Bull's social media channels in recent months; a departure of their hero is bound to unleash a wave of negativity and swearing.
It is possible that all this will lead, as Marko pointed out, to the fact that an official announcement from Red Bull about Perez cannot be expected as early as this Monday. Telling Perez that he is no longer wanted is simple. But the consequences and handling of the goodbye is going to cause some hassle.
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