Red Bull to evaluate Sergio Perez's future amid performance concerns

The F1 summer break is scheduled for happen from Monday, July 29 after the Belgian Grand Prix until Friday, 23 August.

The evaluation comes amidst clauses in Perez's contract, potentially affecting his future with the team.

Media reports reveal that Perez has been tasked by Red Bull to enhance his performance before the summer break, with specific clauses outlined in his new contract. These clauses include being within 100 points of his teammate Max Verstappen by the break, scheduled after the races in Hungary and Belgium.

Following the British Grand Prix, Perez finds himself trailing Verstappen by 137 points, indicating a significant gap.

Additionally, Perez is required to maintain a proximity of five places to Verstappen in the championship standings. Presently in sixth place, Perez meets this criterion, although both Mercedes drivers are within eight points, adding pressure.

Marko acknowledged the standard presence of performance-related exit clauses in F1 contracts, emphasizing that Perez's future will hinge on the upcoming races.

"All Formula 1 contracts have exit clauses, most of them related to performance or let's say for the top drivers," Marko stated to GrandPrix247.

"As I mentioned before, we will have an evaluation during the summer break and then we will make a decision."

Looking ahead, reserve driver Liam Lawson is being considered as a potential replacement for Perez. Lawson recently tested the RB20 following the British GP and is scheduled for another outing after the Belgian Grand Prix.

Marko commented, "First we have to see. Lawson is testing at Silverstone on Thursday. And yeah, so two more races and there will be more outings with Lawson. There's also Yuki Tsunoda who is doing very well."

Yuki Tsunoda, already confirmed for 2025, has been highlighted as another viable candidate. Excelling this season, Tsunoda has outperformed Daniel Ricciardo and demonstrated improved communication with the team, attributed partly to mental training.

Reflecting on Tsunoda's progress, Marko remarked, "We had a lot of arguments with Yuki, we also brought him together with a mental trainer because firstly, shouting was stupid and then he was getting slower."

The next Formula 1 event is the Hungarian Grand Prix, set to take place at the Hungaroring in Budapest from July 19-21, marking the 13th race of the season. As Red Bull monitors Perez's performance closely, the outcome of the upcoming races will likely influence decisions regarding the team's lineup for future seasons.