Red Bull now says it is 'very possible' that Checo Perez will stay on beyond 2024 F1 season

Sergio 'Checo' Perez's situation at Red Bull is very precarious but one of his biggest critics has given him a respite by suggesting he could extend his stay at the team beyond the upcoming 2024 season.

Often under a lot of pressure, Perez's future with the team is far from secure according to Helmut Marko and Christian Horner. Marko has regularly called on Perez to up his game otherwise he will be sacked, whilst Horner, the team boss, insists that the team will show him loyalty.

In fact, Marko, on several occasions, has said that Daniel Ricciardo or Liam Lawson were candidates for the Mexican's place after 2025, given that the driver from Guadalajara will finish his contract with Red Bull at the end of 2024.

However, the veteran executive surprised everyone with a statement in which he is open to renewing the Mexican.

"If Checo has a good season," Marko said to sport.de, "it is quite possible that the lineup in 2025 will also consist of Verstappen and Perez."

It will remain to be seen what he defines as a successful, or good, season but it will likely consist of regularly qualifying high up on the grid and delivering consistent runners-up spots behind Verstappen with very sporadic challenges.

That will suit Red Bull's team dynamic and make Perez an attractive driver to retain for the future.

Hamilton to Ferrari

Marko also commented on the signing of the year, the departure of Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes to Ferrari from 2025. It came just five months after the Briton agreed a contract extension with the German team he's been at since 2013.

Marko enthusiastically said, "It's the best thing that could happen to Formula 1 at the moment."

But he did dissuade Mercedes from trying to poach Max Verstappen, the reigning three-time world champion, from Red Bull. The said, "Toto Wolff will try, but he will not succeed."