Helmut Marko’s delivers ‘not materialised’ blow to Sergio Perez’s Red Bull hopes

Never mind winning a World title as his father predicted, Sergio Perez may not even be in F1 next season after Helmut Marko declared the hoped-for improvement has “not materialised”.

Perez prepared for the Mexican Grand Prix, his home race, adamant that one good race could silence rumours that his days at Red Bull are numbered.

Sergio Perez’s upturn has ‘not materialised’ says Helmut Marko

But his chances of a good showing at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez whimpered out in qualifying where a lack of pace and braking issues left him down in 18th place.

It’s his worst qualifying performance at his home race and it couldn’t have come at a worse time with his future hanging in the balance. Perez’s 18th place means he’ll start six places behind Liam Lawson, who is leading the running to replace him at Red Bull next season.

Marko was quick to pounce.

“The hoped-for upturn that we all expected has unfortunately not materialised,” he told Sky Deutschland.

“He complained on the radio about his brake problems. At least that’s what I heard. We have to see what exactly was going on, but unfortunately, the recovery that we all expected did not happen.”

Perez’s latest blip came on the back of his father Antonio Perez declaring that it’s only a matter of time before his son becomes Mexico’s first F1 World Championship.

“The best of Checo Perez is yet to come,” he told Mexican publication Récord+ in the build-up to the weekend. “I am sure that in due time, Checo will have the weapons and tools to fight for the World Championship.

“I am very excited and I can say that Checo will be World Champion.”

While that definitely won’t happen this season as he trails Max Verstappen by more than 200 points with only five races remaining, Marko cast doubt on it ever happening.

“All due respect to a father’s optimism, but…,” he said.

How the F1 grid is shaping up

👉F1 2025 driver line-up: Who is already confirmed for the 2025 grid?

👉F1 2026 driver line-up: Lewis Hamilton and other drivers already confirmed for 2026

Helmut Marko blasts Yuki Tsunoda’s ‘unnecessary crash’

But it wasn’t just Perez who earned Marko’s ire, Yuki Tsunoda was also in the firing line having crashed in Q2.

Although Tsunoda would like to be considered an option to replace Perez next season, a spin in Austin followed by his crash on Saturday has Marko questioning his ability to handle pressure.

“It was an unnecessary crash, I would say,” he said. “He had that spin in Austin and now in qualifying this crash.

“We thought it had all stabilised, but now with the pressure from Lawson, it is noticeable.”

Tsunoda may have to start from the back of the grid as Marko revealed VCARB may not have a spare new floor, meaning he’ll have to swap to an older spec.

“He drove with a newer floor than Lawson, although I don’t know if they still have spare parts,” he revealed. “If they have to rebuild it, he would have to start from the back.”

Read next: Winners and losers from the 2024 Mexican Grand Prix qualifying