What is the most intriguing topic of F1 right now? If your guess is Sergio Perez’s future with Red Bull – full marks! A lot has happened since his contract renewal, and none of it has been on the positive side. While the Mexican continues to struggle, Red Bull shows their faith in him. But, Perez’s ‘shelf-life’ could expire sooner than speculated. Amidst the unrest, team advisor Dr. Helmut Marko declares the ultimatum for Checo.

Perez’s inconsistency since the Chinese GP has led to frequent finishes outside the Top 10. Despite an extended contract with Red Bull, his position is now at risk. Helmut has hinted that the 34-year-old must perform well in the next two races before the summer break, or he could lose his seat. While discussing the matter at hand with SPEEDWEEK.com, the advisor stated: “We also need two drivers at the front for the constructors’ championship. And we still hope that Sergio Pérez will find his form again.”

This shows that Red Bull is still backing Perez, however, he must prove himself first. Marko declared: “We will evaluate the situation after the next two races in the summer break and then we will see.” So, Hungaroring and Spa would be the final grounds for Checo. He must utilize all his F1 experience in these races and continue as the second driver.

Moreover, Helmut Marko emphasized the need to bring in more young drivers in F1. He mentioned that without naming anyone in particular: “There are drivers in the field who are stagnating and are better or worse depending on the mood. They are blocking the way for the young drivers.” It’s unclear who Dr. Marko was targeting, but one point is clear – young drivers are crucial to Red Bull.

Helmut Marko’s support for young rising stars of Formula 1

In various categories of motorsport, Red Bull is a dominant force. From Isack Hadjar in F2 to Arvid Lindblad in F3, the youngsters are ruling the single-seater championships. Even Max Verstappen was a Red Bull junior and debuted at 17 years of age. After that, he just evolved into a better version of himself and the rest is history. Marko mentioned that the team will be evaluating the junior drivers during the summer break.

This statement is crucial as the revised age regulations have made it easy for capable drivers below the age of 18 to enter F1. So, is Red Bull concocting another ‘Operation Max Verstappen’? It’s hard to predict. However, given their skills, Hadjar or Lindblad could see themselves in F1 soon. “Isack did well in his most recent test,” Marko revealed. “It is also no secret that Liam Lawson will be doing a day of filming for us,” he added further.

Isack and Arvid have great qualities, they are super fast and have Formula 1 quality. Ayumu Iwasa must not be left out either. He is currently in second place in the Super Formula in Japan.

With so much fresh talent and not many seats for their speedy F1 debut, Helmut Marko’s “stagnating drivers” statement makes sense. At the same time, this highlights another possibility: Can a rookie replace Sergio Perez? Then, what about Daniel Ricciardo who still has his Red Bull dreams thriving? Well, it remains under speculation.

The upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix and Belgian Grand Prix are going to be of utmost importance for Perez. With all eyes on his future, what will the Mexican do? Only time will tell.

Will Sergio Perez regain his form and retain his seat? Share your thoughts in the comments.