Sergio Perez has admitted he may have to look at “alternatives” to Red Bull in Formula 1 beyond 2024 amid speculation over his future.
The Mexican has endured an arduous campaign, getting comprehensively outclassed by team-mate Max Verstappen, who has scored 12 victories to Perez’s two.
While Verstappen’s win on Sunday at Monza marked his 10th in a row, setting a new-all-time F1 record, Perez has only classified second three times during that run.
Perez’s mid-season slump has prompted rumours about him remaining with the reigning World Champions, fuelled further last month by Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko asserting his seat for 2024 wasn’t assured.
Despite Red Bull team boss Christian Horner declaring that Perez will remain alongside Verstappen next year, he concedes he wants to be at a team where he can “contribute.”
“I think that now, with the season we’ve had, it’s important in the next races to be in an environment where I feel I can contribute,” formu1a.uno quotes Perez as having told DAZN.
“And if that place in 2024 isn’t here, then we have to look for alternatives.”
However, Perez insists his immediate focus is on ending his elusive wait for a third win this year and helping Red Bull to secure the Constructors’ Championship.
“But for now, my main focus is to stay here and win more races. And keep on winning championships with Red Bull,” he added.
“As you say, I have a contract for next year. So, at some stage next year, we’ll see.”
Perez recovered from a “terrible Saturday” to climb three places to finish behind Verstappen at the Italian Grand Prix, handing Red Bull its first-ever 1-2 finish at Monza.
However, the ex-McLaren driver is now 144 points behind Verstappen, who is closing on a third successive Drivers’ crown.
Nevertheless, Perez extended his advantage over the chasing pack in second place, with the 33-year-old upholding a healthy 49-point advantage over Fernando Alonso.
Perez remaining second until the end of the campaign would represent another milestone for Red Bull, who have never had its two drivers occupy the top two positions in the standings throughout its championship-winning years.
Meanwhile, the Milton-Keynes-based squad have departed the European leg unbeaten and with a colossal 310-point lead over Mercedes in the Constructors’ standings.
But Red Bull has continued to downplay it could become the first team in F1 history to go through an entire season undefeated.
Both Perez and Verstappen stated they expect the Singapore Grand Prix next time out to be one of Red Bull’s toughest challenges of the season.
“A little bit more difficult, I think for us,” Verstappen said when assessing Red Bull’s chances at the Marina Bay Circuit. “But we’ll see.
“We’ll do our best and of course we’ll try to go in there and try to win it again. But it’s not, let’s say, going to be the strongest weekend for us.”
Perez, winner in Singapore last year, added: “I agree with Max, I think it’s going to be a weekend where basically anything can happened, and hopefully we are able to have a very strong Saturday, because if you don’t start in the front row, it’s very unlikely that you will have a shot at the victory.”
