Red Bull Racing has finally concluded a deal that will see Sergio Perez walk away from a two-year deal for 2025 and ‘26 that was announced back in June.
After his arrangement with the team was announced the Mexican had a troubled time for much of the rest of the season, sometimes struggling to even get out of Q1.
It was evident in the summer that the team was having second thoughts. One of the most obvious signs was the decision to drop Daniel Ricciardo from VCARB after the Singapore GP, which gave Liam Lawson a chance to audition for a potential slot with the main team.
Perez’s manager Julian Jakobi spent much of the Abu Dhabi GP weekend in negotiations with Christian Horner.
No details of what was agreed have been revealed, but the team allowed Perez to “announce” his own departure via a press release.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the past four years with Oracle Red Bull Racing and for the opportunity to race with such an amazing team,” he was quoted as saying.
“Driving for Red Bull has been an unforgettable experience, and I’ll always cherish the successes we achieved together.
“We broke records, reached remarkable milestones, and I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people along the way.
“A big thank you to every person in the team from the management, engineers and mechanics, catering, hospitality, kitchen, marketing and communications, as well as everyone at Milton Keynes, I wish you all the best for the future.”
He added: “It has also been an honour to race alongside Max as a teammate all these years and to share in our success. A special thank you to the fans around the world, and especially to the Mexican fans for your unwavering support every day. We’ll meet again soon. And remember…Never give up.”
Paying tribute to Perez Horner said: “I would like to thank Checo for all he has done for Oracle Red Bull Racing over the past four seasons.
“From the moment he joined in 2021 he proved himself to be an extraordinary team player, helping us to two constructors’ titles and to our first 1-2 finish in the drivers’ championship. His five wins, all on street circuits, were also a spectacular mark of his determination to always push to the limit.
“While Checo will not race for the team next season, he will always be an extremely popular team member and a treasured part of our history. Thank you, Checo.”
Red Bull has yet to make an announcement about the driver line-ups across its two teams or on the future of the sponsorship deals that came with Perez.
