The future of Sergio Perez at Red Bull will be determined by the team's shareholders following the final race in Abu Dhabi, Dr Helmut Marko has revealed.
While Max Verstappen celebrated his fourth drivers' world championship on Saturday night, the mood within the Red Bull camp wasn't entirely celebratory. Marko admitted there is disappointment among team members due to Red Bull's underperformance in the constructors' championship battle.
Although Verstappen's dominance has secured his title with two races remaining, McLaren and Ferrari are now leading the fight for first and second in the constructors' standings.
Marko was clear about where he places the blame.
"There must be two drivers on the team who are capable of scoring points," he told ORF. "I don't know the exact difference, but I think Checo is more than 200 points behind Max. This is unacceptable.
"If he was somewhere near (Lewis) Hamilton or (George) Russell, or the Ferraris or the McLarens, then we would have the advantage."
Marko also highlighted the broader impact on the team. "The main thing here was to win the world championship with Max, but for our employees, it is a disappointment because their bonuses at the end of the season depend on our position in the constructors' championship. And this year, we have no chance of winning it."
Perez managed only a single point in Las Vegas after qualifying in P16, a performance that team principal Christian Horner described as below expectations.
"That wasn't the right position on a day when McLaren was weak," Horner admitted. When asked about Perez's contract, Horner said: "Everything related to the contracts, I have nothing to say. If there was anything to say, I'd tell you."
The leading candidate to potentially replace Perez for 2025 is Liam Lawson, although Franco Colapinto has also been mentioned. Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda has expressed his readiness to take on the challenge.
"I am ready to race and fight with Max who is a monster," Tsunoda told Sky Italia. "It is not my decision, but I am convinced that I can fight him."
Marko confirmed that the ultimate decision regarding Red Bull's driver lineup lies with the team's shareholders—Chalerm Yoovidhya (51 percent) and Mark Mateschitz (49 percent).
"The plan is that there will be a meeting after Abu Dhabi, and we will report the results of this meeting to our shareholders, who will then decide what the driver lineup of the two teams will look like next year," Marko explained.
