Red Bull are still in negotiations over the future of Sergio Perez, PlanetF1.com understands, despite speculation that an announcement is due today.

Multiple reports on Tuesday claimed that Red Bull were poised to imminently confirm Perez‘s departure from the team, having struggled to match team-mate Max Verstappen throughout the F1 2024 season.

Sergio Perez and Red Bull negotiations ongoing ahead of F1 2025

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Despite signing a new two-year contract as recently as June, Perez has found his place at Red Bull come under serious threat on the back of a disastrous season.

The Mexican driver ended the F1 2024 campaign seven places and a massive 285 points adrift of Verstappen in the Drivers’ standings, having failed to register a podium finish since the Chinese Grand Prix in April.

PlanetF1.com revealed ahead of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix earlier this month that Perez is highly likely to be replaced ahead of the F1 2025 season. with Racing Bulls driver Lawson in line to become Verstappen’s new team-mate.

Perez initially insisted that he had no intention of walking away from the team at the end of the season and claimed that he had every intention of seeing out his new deal, which is due to expire at the end of the F1 2026 campaign.

Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com after the season finale, however, Perez conceded that he and Red Bull are “talking to try to see what’s best moving forward” ahead of a likely separation.

He added: “We’re going to be talking in the coming days and we will discuss what the situation is from both parties and see if we are able to reach an agreement.

“If not, like I said, I’ve got a contract for next year.”

Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko issued an update on Red Bull’s F1 2025 driver plans on Monday, revealing that a decision is likely to be communicated later this week.

Writing in a column for in-house publication Speedweek, Marko said: “We will be announcing news on the driver pairing for next year in the next few days.”

Marko went on to criticise speculation surrounding a potential multi-million-dollar separation fee for Perez, adding: “There’s a lot of speculation about this, including rumours about possible transfer fees, which are complete nonsense.”

Recent reports have suggested that Perez, who made his F1 debut with Sauber in 2011, is negotiating over whether to remain with Red Bull in an ambassadorial role or to cut ties with the team entirely.

If confirmed, Perez’s exit would almost certainly see Lawson promoted to Red Bull’s senior team after just 11 grand prix appearances spread across the 2023 and 2024 campaigns.

Lawson’s place alongside Yuki Tsunoda at the Racing Bulls junior outfit is expected to be taken by Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar, the 20-year-old French-Algerian who finished second in the F2 feeder series standings in 2024.

In an exclusive interview with PlanetF1.com in Abu Dhabi, Lawson declared himself ready to partner Verstappen and brushed off comparisons with Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon, who both struggled after being promoted to Red Bull Racing.

Lawson said: “He said: “I don’t know what [Gasly and Albon] felt when they were there.

“You can always look at it as an outsider and think: ‘This is what it looks like they felt.’ But I don’t know what it was like for them.

“I believe, for anybody to go up against Max, you have to be realistic and know that he’s the fastest guy on the grid right now and that you’re not going to be outqualifying the guy by half a second.

“It’s not going to be something that’s really going to be happening. For me, it’s more the opportunity that’s there to learn from the best.

“For me as a driver, to be able to go in against the guy who’s won four world championships and is well seasoned… he’s been in that car for a long time.

“That car is almost… not developed around him, but he’s been a massive part of developing that car and understands it very well.

“In terms of how to drive it, it’s all right there on paper.

“When you see all the data that he brings in, for me as a driver to be alongside that, to be able to learn from him and have all that access, I think that’s what’s exciting for me about the opportunity… if that opportunity was to come in the future.”