Red Bull boss Horner to let Perez 'come to his own conclusions' about his future after Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Mexican signed contract for 2025 but his results have been so poor that his position at the team now looks untenable

Sergio Perez has had a disappointing 2024 season at Red Bull and is yet to win a race. AP

Red Bull boss Christian Horner said he will let Sergio Perez "come to his own conclusions" about his future with the team after Sunday's final race in Abu Dhabi.

Perez fired another blank at Sunday's Qatar Grand Prix, failing to finish at the Lusail International Circuit.

His place as Max Verstappen's teammate has been questioned for months, with the Mexican having a signed contract for 2025 but his results so poor that his position looks untenable.

An announcement appears likely after next weekend's finale at the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Horner doing little to dampen speculation it will be the 34 year old's final drive with the team.

"I'm going to let Checo [Perez] come to his own conclusions, nobody's forcing him one way or another," Horner told reporters after Perez retired from the Qatar Grand Prix and Red Bull's slim hopes of defending the constructors' title ended.

"We're very much focused on really supporting him to the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi, and then obviously it's not an enjoyable situation for Checo, being in this position with speculation every week.

"He's old enough and wise enough to know what the situation is, and yeah, let's see where we are after Abu Dhabi."

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  Verstappen celebrates with a trophy on the podium after winning the Qatar Grand Prix at Lusail International Circuit on December 1, 2024. Reuters

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  Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the Qatar Grand Prix. Reuters

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  Red Bull driver Max Verstappen celebrates victory. AP

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  Race winner Max Verstappen celebrates after the race. Getty Images

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  Red Bull's Max Verstappen had already secured the drivers' title for a fourth year in a row. AFP

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  Ferrari's Charles Leclerc celebrates on the podium after securing second in Qatar. Reuters

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  Charles Leclerc ahead of his Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz who finished sixth. Getty Images

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  McLaren's Oscar Piastri finished in third place. AFP

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  George Russell is overtaken by Max Verstappen at the start of the race. The Mercedes driver would eventually finish fourth. Getty Images

Perez is eighth in the championship standings and the only driver for a top four team yet to win a race this season.

His 152 points from 23 races pale in comparison to teammate Verstappen's 429. The Dutchman has won nine races – including Sunday's grand prix in Qatar – ahead of this year's final race at Yas Marina Circuit, and wrapped up his fourth successive drivers' crown in Las Vegas two weeks ago.

Perez, in contrast, has not finished on the podium since he finished third in China in April and has not won a race since April 2023. He won twice that year while Verstappen tore up the record books with 19 wins.

Perez started the 2024 season strongly with three second places in four races but then his form crashed and he has scored only 28 points from his last 10 races.

He has not finished inside the top six since Miami in May.

"Sometimes things don't go your way. We’re still here and optimistic that we can turn things around as a team, especially for next year," he told reporters in Qatar last week.

"I've been 14 years in the sport and I don't speak about my contracts publicly. So I will not comment on that. I know exactly where I am and I will not speak about it publicly," he added when pressed.

If Perez is moved out, New Zealander Liam Lawson looks a likely replacement. The RB driver finished 14th at the Qatar GP.

Argentine rookie Franco Colapinto has been tipped as a possibility also but a string of costly crashes for Williams may have made that less likely.

Red Bull also have Franco-Algerian Isack Hadjar challenging for the F2 title and could place him at RB alongside Japan's Yuki Tsunoda if Lawson moves up.