“He Is Definitely the Best Option”: Helmut Marko Names Ideal Red Bull Driver After Ruling Out Carlos Sainz
Credits: IMAGO NurPhoto, IMAGO ZUMA Wire

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko recently ruled out the possibility of signing Carlos Sainz. The Austrian revealed that Sainz currently has a very lucrative offer from Audi that Red Bull cannot match. The 80-year-old then revealed who the ideal driver is for Red Bull, heading into 2025 and it is none other than their Mexican star.

Sergio Perez has been under pressure for several months largely owing to his inability to match Max Verstappen. However, his start to the 2024 season has been strong, and he is doing everything Red Bull is asking of him. Marko said,

“It is clear that Checo is currently having his best season since he has been with us. If he can keep up these performances, especially qualifying in Japan, then he is definitely the best option for Red Bull in 2025.” 

Marko believes that Perez is a “team player” and has been able to rediscover his best form ever since he dropped the idea of adopting a “radical approach” in terms of his set-up. The Mexican driver’s set-up is now similar to Verstappen’s and it is paying dividends.

In the first four races of the 2024 season, Perez has three P2 and one P5 finish(es). The latter (at the Australian GP) came on a day that was miserable for Red Bull overall.

Red Bull likely to retain Sergio Perez for 2025

Heading into the 2024 season, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner made it clear that Perez needs to finish at least second, to give the side the best chance of retaining their Constructors’ title. The 34-year-old seems to be delivering so far, which makes it likely that his contract will be extended.

One aspect Perez needs to improve on is his ability to be the leader on days when Max Verstappen isn’t at his best. In Australia last month, Verstappen was forced to retire, and Perez had a chance to fight for the top three. Unfortunately, the McLaren and Ferrari drivers were much faster, limiting the Guadalajara-born to a fifth-place finish.

Red Bull has a plethora of talented drivers on the sidelines who would be eager to replace Perez in case the team doesn’t offer him a new deal. Among them, are Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson. The former in particular, has driven brilliantly for Red Bull’s sister team V-CARB in the first four races this season, thus increasing his chances of making the jump to the Milton-Keynes-based team.