Former F1 driver Michael Bleekemolen has urged Red Bull Racing to cancel Sergio Perez’s contract extension in favor of signing Max Verstappen’s former teammate Carlos Sainz Jr.

The Mexican driver recently secured a two-year contract extension at Red Bull. Meanwhile, Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz Jr. finds himself without a ride for 2025 due to Lewis Hamilton joining the Italian team. Sainz will likely have to settle for a midfield team.

Following Sergio Perez’s continued struggles in the qualifying sessions and a poor string of results, Bleekemolen is uncertain if Perez will see out his contract. He suggested that the team should be considering a replacement.

“I have yet to see if his contract will last. People will get second thoughts when they see his results. But then, another question would be: what other option does Red Bull have? Who is fast and good enough for that seat?” he told RacingNews365.com.

Bleekemolen argued that Carlos Sainz Jr., Max Verstappen’s first F1 teammate at Toro Rosso (now VCARB) is the right choice for the second seat at Red Bull.

“In that case, I would say: go and get Carlos Sainz. I would look toward Sainz. He doesn’t have a seat yet. Again, Sainz is not at the level of Max, but he is only a little bit behind. And that’s obviously good for the team because they don’t want Max to be beaten by a team-mate. That’s not going to happen either, so then someone like [Sainz] is good. Sainz doesn’t crash much and I think that would be a good one,” he said.

Sergio Perez has continued to struggle in the RB20, with his qualifying struggles impacting his ability to score points on race day. Over the past four races, he has contributed eight points to the team’s tally, while his teammate has won three races during the same period.

Christian Horner confident about defending WCC title despite Sergio Perez’s form

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner is not concerned about losing the constructor title, indicating that Max Verstappen’s winning form will keep the team afloat in the championship hunt.

Following Verstappen’s victory and Sergio Perez’s P8 result in the Spanish GP, Horner was asked if he was concerned about the WCC. He replied on Sky Sports F1:

“If I’m not wrong we have scored the most points as a team (29), so as long as we keep doing that, the constructors’ continues to look healthy.”

Christian Horner emphasized Sergio Perez’s strong start to the season, where he fetched four podium results in the first five races. Horner is confident that the Mexican will return to his old form with a change in mindset.

With 14 rounds left in the season, Red Bull has a 60-point advantage over Ferrari and 93 over McLaren.