Jacques Villeneuve has urged Formula 1 fans, media, and pundits to stop speculating about Sergio Perez’s future at Red Bull Racing, reminding everyone that the Mexican driver is under contract until the end of 2025. Despite his struggles in comparison to teammate Max Verstappen, who is on track to be the 2024 F1 World Champion, Perez’s position at the team is secure for the foreseeable future.
Perez’s performance has been under heavy scrutiny this season, as he has accumulated just 151 points over the past 21 races, compared to Verstappen’s 393. This stark difference in points, along with Perez’s difficulties in qualifying, has fueled speculation that his time at Red Bull could be coming to an end. Some reports even suggested that the Sao Paulo Grand Prix could be his last, but these claims were swiftly denied by the team.
In an interview with Grosvenor Sport, Villeneuve, the 1997 F1 World Champion, emphasized that Perez is still contracted to Red Bull and has the backing of the team. “It’s been 10 months now that people have been saying Perez is out at the next race. Stop saying it. He has a contract. He brings sponsorship and stability to the team,” Villeneuve said.
Villeneuve also pointed out that Verstappen is content with Perez as his teammate. He explained that it’s difficult to assess how much of the performance gap between Perez and Verstappen is due to Perez being “a bit lost” versus Verstappen’s extraordinary abilities. “What have you achieved if you put another driver in there who doesn’t do any better?” he added.
The Red Bull Junior Team has a strong pipeline of drivers, and while there are rising talents like Franco Colapinto being linked to a potential Red Bull seat, Villeneuve emphasized that the team’s development program is designed to nurture drivers for the future, not necessarily for immediate promotion. He questioned whether breaking this well-established program for a driver like Colapinto is worth it, given the depth of talent in Red Bull’s driver ranks.
There are several promising drivers in Formula 1’s Junior ranks, including Yuki Tsunoda, Liam Lawson, and upcoming talents like Isack Hadjar, Pepe Martins, and Oliver Goethe. Colapinto may be talented, but Villeneuve believes that Red Bull will continue to prioritize their long-term development system.
Villeneuve also noted that the current competitive landscape makes it harder for young drivers to break into Formula 1, as drivers tend to stay longer in the sport now, reducing opportunities for newcomers. However, he expressed his belief that if Colapinto were given a chance, he could make a big impression on the sport due to his maturity and approach. Villeneuve also praised other young talents such as Oliver Bearman and Gabriel Bortoleto for their potential to make waves in F1.
