Sergio Perez has confirmed he will leave the Red Bull team ahead of the 2025 season following mounting pressure on him.

Perez’s future was in the balance following a season that saw him finish eighth in the Drivers’ standings and cost Red Bull the Constructors’ title but the driver has now confirmed he is leaving the team he has been with since 2021.

Sergio Perez confirms Red Bull departure for 2025

After a perfect wingman season in 2021, Perez has found it difficult to recapture the form of his first season with the team and even with 2023’s all-conquering RB19, he finished 290 points behind team-mate Max Verstappen.

A bright start in 2024 ultimately fizzled out with Perez failing to get on the podium since the Chinese Grand Prix in April and his 152 points proved not enough for Red Bull to retain their Constructors’ crown.

Perez said: “I’m incredibly grateful for the past four years with Oracle Red Bull Racing and for the opportunity to race with such an amazing team.

“Driving for Red Bull has been an unforgettable experience and I’ll always cherish the successes we achieved together. We broke records, reached remarkable milestones, and I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people along the way. A big thank you to every person in the team from the management, engineers and mechanics, catering, hospitality, kitchen, marketing and communications, as well as everyone at Milton Keynes, I wish you all the best for the future.

“It has also been an honour to race alongside Max as a team-mate all these years and to share in our success. A special thank you to the fans around the world, and especially to the Mexican fans for your unwavering support every day. We’ll meet again soon. And remember…Never give up.”

In Perez’s place is expected to be 22-year-old Liam Lawson who has completed just 11 grands prix and is now being asked to fulfil the toughest role on the grid, team-mates to Verstappen. The team have said further announcements of their 2025 line-up will be “made in due course.”Christian Horner said: “I would like to thank Checo for all he has done for Oracle Red Bull Racing over the past four seasons.

Christian Horner said: “I would like to thank Checo for all he has done for Oracle Red Bull Racing over the past four seasons.

From the moment he joined in 2021 he proved himself to be an extraordinary Team player, helping us to two Constructors’ titles and to our first 1-2 finish in the Drivers’ championship.

“His five wins, all on street circuits, were also a spectacular mark of his determination to always push to the limit. While Checo will not race for the Team next season, he will always be an extremely popular Team member and a treasured part of our history. Thank you, Checo.”

The team have stressed that it was Perez’s call to leave but it is potentially an expensive departure for Red Bull. The team gave him a new deal in June that saw him contracted until the end of 2026 in the hope it would boost his results but ultimately, that decision has proven to be a mistake.

There is also the matter of the significant sponsorship money the Mexican driver brings which Red Bull will now be missing from their future accounts.