It’s not often that a former F1 driver speaks so candidly about their split from a top team—but Sergio Perez is holding nothing back.
In a recent podcast appearance, the Mexican driver shared how he truly feels about his departure from Red Bull at the end of the 2024 season.
And according to him, some people inside the team are already regretting the decision.
Four Years at Red Bull, but a Sudden Ending
Perez joined Red Bull in 2021 and spent four intense years as teammate to Max Verstappen.
During that time, he put in strong performances—finishing fourth and third in his first two seasons and taking second in the 2023 Drivers’ Championship.
But after a rocky 2024 season that saw him slump to eighth in the standings, Red Bull decided it was time to move on.
That decision, Perez now suggests, may not have aged well.
“They Regret It”—Perez Says He Knows Red Bull’s Feeling
Speaking on the Desde el Paddock podcast, Perez didn’t mince words.
He revealed that he has it “from a very good source” that Red Bull is “very sorry” for dropping him.
“I know people might think I’d be happy about that, but I’m not,” he said.
“We had a great team dynamic, but it just slowly unraveled.”
Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda Struggle to Fill the Gap
Red Bull’s replacement plan hasn’t exactly gone to script.
Liam Lawson, who was tapped to succeed Perez, didn’t even make it past two races this season before being cut.
His replacement, Yuki Tsunoda, has also had a tough time.
Despite getting eight chances behind the wheel, he’s yet to place higher than ninth.
Compared to Perez’s podium finishes in past seasons, it’s been a rough adjustment for the team.
Perez Feels Red Bull Created the Pressure That Undid Him
Even though he had signed a two-year contract extension in Monaco at the start of 2024, Perez says Red Bull didn’t do enough to quiet speculation about his future.
“From the next race on, everyone was talking about me—about whether I’d stay, even though I had a contract,” he said.
“The team could have just said, ‘He’s signed, he’s staying,’ and shut it down. But they didn’t.”
That silence, according to Perez, added pressure—not just on him, but on his engineers and the whole team.
And he believes it played a big role in how the season unfolded.
Christian Horner Had a Different Story
Back in December, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner had painted a different picture.
He insisted the team had backed Perez all the way, but said it was the driver himself who decided to step back from the sport.
“We tried everything to support him,” Horner said. “
And ultimately, he came to the conclusion that it was time to take a break from Formula 1.”
Key Departures Also Took a Toll on Red Bull’s Stability
Perez didn’t just point fingers at how his own situation was handled.
He also hinted that broader shifts within Red Bull may be catching up with the team.
He pointed to the exit of design legend Adrian Newey, who has now taken up a senior technical role at Aston Martin.
He also mentioned the departure of sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, who recently became team principal at Sauber.
Together, those exits may have contributed to some of the struggles currently facing the once-dominant team.
What’s Next for Perez?
While he’s no longer on the Red Bull roster, Perez isn’t done with F1 just yet.
He’s been linked to a potential return to the grid with Cadillac, hinting that there might be another chapter in his racing career.
For now, he’s reflecting on what went wrong—and what could have been done differently.