Purple Bull admits handing Perez early contract “did not work”

Purple Bull staff principal Christian Horner has admitted that giving Sergio Perez an early contract extension this yr to attempt to clear the Mexican’s thoughts of worries “didn’t work”.

The Milton Keynes-based squad is predicted to make a name on its 2025 driver line-up subsequent week, with mounting hypothesis that it may elect to drop Perez in favour of considered one of its RB kids Liam Lawson or Yuki Tsunoda.

This comes regardless of Purple Bull having prolonged Perez’s contract again in June till the top of 2026, based mostly on his sturdy begin to the season and since the outfit didn’t need him to be involved about his place inside the squad.

However with Perez’s type having dipped ever since he signed his deal, Horner has not shied away from admitting that issues didn’t end up the best way that the staff had wished.

“Clearly, on the time, Sergio was performing extraordinarily nicely,” stated Horner in regards to the considering of going early with the deal.

“I feel he had 4 podiums within the first 5 races and, with the intention to settle his thoughts and lengthen that run of type for the remainder of the season, we elected to go early – which clearly did not work. That is simply life generally.

“However I feel with Checo it’s a must to look past this yr for the contribution that he is made to our staff. He is been an excellent staff participant. He is an excellent individual. He is extraordinarily common inside the staff. He is labored very laborious over the 4 years that he is been with us and he is performed an important position within the constructors’ championships that we have gained, the 5 grand prix victories that he had in our automobile.

“It has been probably the most profitable pairing that we have ever had, ending first and second within the drivers’ championship final yr.”

Horner stated that no person was blissful that issues had not turned out as anticipated with Perez, with the assembly of shareholders to debate the long run set for Monday.

However repeating latest remarks about suggesting the ball was in Perez’s courtroom with reference to his future, it appears clear that some contractual deal will have to be made for a change on the squad.

Requested if Purple Bull had made its thoughts up about which driver it wished alongside Max Verstappen in 2025, Horner stated: “We’re lucky that we have got an incredible pool of expertise.

“It was good to see Isack Hadjar getting a run out as nicely in free follow. We have got two proficient drivers in VCARB [RB], so till the scenario is obvious with Sergio and what he needs to do, every little thing else is only hypothesis.”