FIA Formula 2 title challenger Gabriel Bortoleto has weighed in on the Sergio Perez Red Bull debate, saying if the Mexican’s Formula 1 performances don’t improve, “he’s out”.
Bortoleto is an F2 rookie and McLaren prospect, campaigning his 2024 season with the Invicta Racing outfit and enjoying great success.
His ability to adapt from F3 to F2 sees the Brazillian driver sitting second in the Drivers’ standings with 129 points, 36 behind Red Bull Junior Driver Isack Hadjar.
Hadjar is in a long line of Red Bull talent waiting in the wings should Perez lose his drive alongside Max Verstappen and despite the Milton Keynes outfit handing the Mexican a reprieve, plenty still speculate on his future.
Even Bortoleto has joined in on the discourse, speaking to Motorsport.com’s Brazilian arm via video cast to comment “I think Perez will be out next year.
“I don’t know if he has a contract but, with the results he’s having, he’s out.”
Perez was handed a multi-year contract extension back in June ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, but a torrid run of form led to Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner and Advisor Helmut Marko holding a discussion on his future after July’s Belgian GP at Spa-Francorchamps.
Horner and Marko have given Perez the chance to prove his worth after the Formula 1 Summer Break, but Bortoleto referenced the options at Red Bull’s disposal should the Mexican fail to grasp his latest opportunity.
“RB is still open, we know that if it’s not [Daniel] Ricciardo, it’ll be [Liam] Lawson,” he said.
“If they don’t put Lawson in, I don’t know what’s going on in their heads or [they could put Isack] Hadjar in.”
Marko has hinted that Lawson’s future will be decided in September, ruling out loaning the Kiwi to a rival team, which essentially puts a target on not only Perez’s back, but Ricciardo’s with each veteran knowing that if they fail to perform, they can be replaced.
Hadjar meanwhile, appears to be an outside prospect to land an F1 drive, even if he does convert his 36-point lead in the F2 Drviers’ standings into a Championship victory.
The Frenchman said of his F1 prospects “Obviously, the best thing I can do is to, it’s like always in my position, just do the talking on the track.
“That’s the only thing I can. And obviously, I can’t tell you anything about what [Red Bull] is telling me.”
Bortoleto meanwhile, has been rumoured as a target for Audi’s F1 project to line up alongside Nico Hulkenberg in the final year of Sauber’s transition in 2025.
“That’s nice, to be mentioned by an F1 person because that’s where you want to end up,” Bortoleto said.
“But let’s see what the future holds. I’m doing my job as best I can in F2, not in difficulty, but so that I’m ready to move up to F1. I’d say that’s my situation at the moment.”
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