Helmut Marko gives Sergio Perez future update ahead of key F1 2024 campaign

Helmut Marko has said Sergio Perez will fulfil his Red Bull contract until the end of 2024 “as things stand”, with a key year ahead for the Mexican driver.

Perez heads into the year off the back of his best-ever finish in the Drivers’ Championship, finishing second behind team-mate Max Verstappen. But with less than half the reigning World Champion’s points tally and several poor qualifying performances, there is no shortage of candidates looking to drive alongside the Dutchman in 2025.

With both Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda looking to set out their stall for a potential Red Bull drive, team principal Christian Horner has affirmed the seat is for Perez to lose himself – and Marko has offered an update of his own.

Helmut Marko offers Sergio Perez Red Bull update as key 2024 season looms

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Perez penned a new two-year deal with Red Bull in 2022 that will expire at the end of 2024, but with Ricciardo having already stated his “dream” aim of ending his career as a Red Bull driver Perez will be facing competition for his seat if he is to stay alongside Verstappen.

The mid-season struggles Perez faced compared to the relative ease with which Verstappen won the title led to question marks over his future with the team, but Red Bull motorsport advisor Marko assured that the plan is for Perez to see out his current deal.

“As things stand he will fulfil his contract until the end of 2024, then we’ll see,” Marko told Austrian outlet OE24.

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As for Perez himself, he admitted that his qualifying form let him down in 2023, often having to recover through the field to salvage what he could in the fastest car in the field.

Verstappen won a record 19 races out of 22 in 2023, with Perez taking two early-season victories, but the Mexican acknowledged that his one-lap pace is an area in which he needs to find more speed in a vital year for his career.

“I think the Sunday form has been very, very strong this year. That’s the only reason we finished P2 in the Championship,” Perez told media including PlanetF1.com in Abu Dhabi.

“I think that many Saturdays have been very difficult this season, and it’s something we’ve got to work on [and] make sure that we improve for next year.

“I think we also have to give credit to Max, he’s done an incredible year in the history of the sport. He’s been driving really, really well and it’s been very impressive to see.”

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