Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo.

Sergio Perez has been warned by David Coulthard that he risks joining Daniel Ricciardo in getting the axe at Red Bull should he fail to score “solid points” in the remainder of F1 2024.

Intense speculation followed Ricciardo into and throughout the Singapore Grand Prix that this would be his final race with Red Bull junior team VCARB, speculation which proved true with the announcement made on Thursday that Ricciardo was out and Red Bull reserve Liam Lawson was in at VCARB for the final six rounds of F1 2024.

Sergio Perez at risk of mirroring Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull fate?

Perez is no stranger to the Red Bull axe speculation himself, with rumours going into the summer break having suggested that he was unlikely to return for part two of F1 2024, but did.

Perez went well in Azerbaijan – where he is the most successful F1 driver with two victories at the Baku City Circuit – contending for a podium before colliding with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz later in the race, but Singapore was a less promising display as Perez dropped out in qualifying at the Q2 stage and recovered to P10 only at the chequered flag.

And as Red Bull bid to keep McLaren in range, who have usurped them at the top of the F1 2024 Constructors’ Championship standings, ex-Red Bull driver Coulthard believes that if Perez wants to avoid that status for himself, the points need to flow over these remaining six rounds.

“He did brilliantly in Baku, but one swallow doesn’t make a summer,” said Coulthard on Channel 4 before Ricciardo’s VCARB exit was made official.

“One good result is not what you expect from your… He’s clearly the number two driver in that team.

“There was so much relief, I think, off the back of Baku. And then here it’s a bit back to reality.

“If he doesn’t keep getting some solid points in the remainder of the year, then, like Daniel Ricardo looks like he’s in the way out the door, that could be the same situation for Perez.”

PlanetF1.com understands that the door has been kept open for Ricciardo to remain in the Red Bull Racing pool, though he remains undecided for now.

Red Bull lacking a clear Sergio Perez replacement option

Even if Red Bull did come to the conclusion that they do not wish to keep Perez for F1 2025, the question is, who would be better up to the task of being Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate?

Team boss Christian Horner had described Ricciardo as their “banker” for if Perez faltered, but Red Bull had the chance to pull that particular trigger over the summer break, yet Ricciardo had not performed well enough to convince Red Bull to make that move. Now, Red Bull has removed him from the junior team!

Lawson impressed in his F1 2023 stint when Ricciardo was out with a broken hand, but even if he shines again in the coming six rounds, is it a risk worth taking for Red Bull to promote him to the senior team so soon? Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly were broken by Verstappen when they got the call-up after half and a full season respectively in the second team.

Yuki Tsunoda continues to get overlooked and is set for a fifth campaign with the Red Bull development squad in F1 2025, with little to suggest that Red Bull see him as a suitable candidate for the step up, while putting their F2 title contender Isack Hadjar straight up against Verstappen in the Red Bull would surely be far too dangerous for his career prospects.

Red Bull looked outside the pool when bringing Perez in for 2021, so a driver like Valtteri Bottas – Lewis Hamilton’s former Mercedes ‘wingman’ – could be an interesting option, though Blick are reporting that he has already been retained by Sauber for F1 2025.

So, whether Perez steps it up or not, what alternative do Red Bull have?