More than half of the drivers who are currently on the Formula 1 grid are still trying to secure a contract for next season.
Aside from Lance Stroll who hasn’t officially been confirmed for 2025 due to his rolling contract situation, there’s a lot of uncertainty for several teams who don’t have a single driver signed up for next year.
Speaking on the Drive to Wynn Podcast, pundit and racing driver Justin Bell has singled out one experienced driver who he thinks is unlikely to have a seat in 2025.
The likes of Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris have all signed new contracts this year.
Max Verstappen is signed up until 2028 although Mercedes would love for him to exit that contract early.
However, Bell believes that Red Bull driver Sergio Perez is unlikely to earn a new contract for 2025 with the current Constructors’ champions.
Not only that, he doesn’t believe he’ll find a seat elsewhere once he departs Christian Horner’s team.
READ MORE: Red Bull driver Sergio Perez’s life outside F1 from net worth to nickname
Justin Bell doesn’t think Sergio Perez will be on the grid in 2025
Sergio Perez was the first driver in Red Bull’s history to deliver a one-two in the Drivers’ Championship between Max Verstappen last year.
However, that was due to the incredible RB19 that was virtually unstoppable, with Perez regularly missing out on Q3 halfway through the season but always having the raw speed to drive through the pack.
That put pressure on Perez going into 2024 but he appeared to take his displays up a notch, finishing 2 to Verstappen in each of the first three Grand Prix.
Doubts may have started to creep in at Red Bull when the Mexican was unable to capitalise on Verstappen retiring from the Australian Grand Prix before he finished behind Lando Norris in China.
Perez managed to finish on the podium for the Sprint Race in Miami, but only crossed the line in 5 for the race before gaining a position due to Carlos Sainz’s penalty.
Bell believes that Perez won’t be retained by Red Bull heading into 2025 and can’t see the six-time race winner being offered a seat elsewhere.
After being described as the ‘joker of the year’ by one former driver, he’s once again leaving Miami knowing he needs to start upping his performances.
Sergio Perez still fighting for his Formula 1 future
Talking about the 34-year-old driver, Bell said: “You’ve got [Sergio] Perez saying, ‘I’m back at the front’ and then he’s not. Watching the way after his dramatic missile attack on turn one and you watch his pace during the race, now the others are closer, the delta has shrunk and his legitimately getting beaten for 4 and 5 place now.
“He was already under pressure and if you’re Christian Horner sitting on the pit wall, it’s just not good enough.
“I just think the pressure is mounting in every way. He’s not even someone that’s going to be taken on somewhere else.
“I mean, I think he’s out of Formula 1 if this happens, there’s too much other talent around.”
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Red Bull Racing from engine to Ford links
Who could replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull?
If, as Bell suggests, Red Bull decide to go with another driver rather than Sergio Perez in 2025 then the obvious candidate is Carlos Sainz.
Sainz will be leaving Ferrari at the end of the season and has had a very strong start to the season, winning the race in Australia that Red Bull would have earmarked as a Perez victory following Verstappen’s DNF.
Helmut Marko has shared some of Perez’s contract demands and that might be why Red Bull are delaying any decision.
They might also be waiting to see if Verstappen is going to break his contract and join Mercedes as that would significantly improve Perez’s chance of earning a new deal.
There are always plenty of moving parts in the Formula 1 driver’s market.
Unsurprisingly, Red Bull may hold the key to several driver’s futures, even if they’re not currently employed by the team.
The post ‘I think he’s out’: F1 pundit believes 6-time race winner will no longer be on the grid after 2024 season appeared first on F1 Oversteer.