Pink Bull has confirmed Sergio Perez is not going to return to drive for the crew within the 2025 Formulation 1 season.
The widely-expected information was confirmed in statements issued by Perez and Pink Bull on Wednesday. Perez’s mentioned that they had “reached an settlement to half methods.”
The crew is but to verify who will substitute Perez. Liam Lawson, who has began 11 races for RB over the previous two seasons, has been tipped as a possible alternative.
“I’m extremely grateful for the previous 4 years with Pink Bull Racing and for the chance to race with such an incredible crew,” mentioned Perez. “Driving for Pink Bull has been an unforgettable expertise, and I’ll at all times cherish the success we achieved collectively.
“We broke information. reached outstanding milestones and I’ve had the privilege of assembly so many unimaginable individuals alongside the way in which.
“An enormous thanks to each individual within the crew from administration, engineers and mechanics; catering, hospitality, kitchen, advertising and communications, in addition to everybody at Milton Keynes. I want you all the perfect for the longer term.’
Perez mentioned it had been “an honour” to spend the final 4 seasons as Max Verstappen’s crew mate.
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He joined Pink Bull from Racing Level (now Aston Martin) in 2021. He performed a pivotal function in Verstappen’s championship victory that 12 months, notably within the season finale at Yas Marina.
Having scored his first grand prix victory shortly earlier than becoming a member of Pink Bull, Perez has claimed 5 extra wins since then, the final coming at Baku final 12 months. He and Verstappen delivered constructors’ championship titles for the crew in 2022 and 2023.
Nonetheless Perez’s kind dropped off considerably after that final win. Though he completed second within the drivers’ championship to Verstappen final season, he claimed lower than half as many factors as his crew mate.
Perez appeared to rediscover his kind over the opening rounds of this season. He adopted Verstappen house to finish one-twos for the crew within the first two occasions and reached the rostrum twice extra by spherical 5.
After the Monaco Grand Prix Pink Bull handed Perez a brand new, two-year contract. However by that time his season was already displaying indicators of going off the rails. He was eradicated within the first spherical of qualifying in Monaco then suffered an enormous crash with Kevin Magnussen shortly after the beginning of the race.
The difficulties Pink Bull skilled with their automobile this 12 months appeared to have an effect on Perez greater than Verstappen. Whereas Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive drivers’ championship, Perez floundered, taking only a single top-six end after the sixth spherical. Pink Bull misplaced the constructors’ title to McLaren as a consequence.
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Regardless of having prolonged Perez’s contract, Pink Bull crew principal Christian Horner started to drop hints in the direction of the tip of the season that he won’t proceed to drive for them. Nonetheless Perez repeatedly denied any suggestion he wouldn’t stay at Pink Bull in 2025.
Horner thanked Perez for his contribution to the crew’s success. “From the second he joined in 2021 he proved himself to be a rare crew participant, serving to us to 2 constructors’ titles and to our first one-two end within the drivers’ championship,” he mentioned.
“His 5 wins, all on avenue circuits, have been additionally a spectacular mark of his dedication to at all times push to the restrict. Whereas Checo is not going to race for the crew subsequent season, he’ll at all times be an especially fashionable crew member and a treasured a part of our historical past.”
The information leaves Perez with out an F1 race seat for 2026. He made his grand prix debut with Sauber in 2011 and rapidly impressed, coming near beating Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari to victory on the Malaysian Grand Prix the next 12 months.
He secured a dream transfer to McLaren for 2013, however was dropped to make manner for Kevin Magnussen after only one season. Perez then spent a fruitful interval at Pressure India (which later turned Racing Level) the place he impressed by repeatedly taking the midfield crew to podium finishes.
In 2020 Perez claimed a shock win for the crew within the Sakhir Grand Prix. Nonetheless new proprietor Lawrence Stroll selected to chop Perez’s three-year deal brief by two seasons to carry Sebastian Vettel in. However when Pink Bull selected to drop Alexander Albon on the finish of the season, Perez grabbed his probability to drive for them.
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