Sergio Perez has conceded that Max Verstappen leaving Red Bull in Formula 1 would come as a blow to the team amid rumours linking with him a move to Mercedes.
Verstappen has recorded 36 victories from the last 47 races since F1’s return to ground effect cars in 2022 as Red Bull has ascended to become the benchmark again.
However, speculation has ramped up that the three-time F1 champion could seek an exit amid the tension that has followed since the investigation into Christian Horner.
The Red Bull Team Principal was exonerated from alleged inappropriate behaviour, but Max’s father, Jos, suggested that Horner’s position had now become untenable.
Despite pledging his commitment to the Austrian outfit, Verstappen has stressed that the presence of Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko is imperative to him remaining.
Reports have surfaced that Marko and the Verstappen camp inserted a clause into the latter’s contract that would enable him to facilitate an exit on certain conditions.
Asked whether he had a similar clause in his deal, which expires at the end of 2024, Perez said: “I don’t have that clause. I don’t know what clause Max has in his contract.
“I think it’s best you ask him. I think Max, as far as I know, has a contract with the team and is fully committed with the team. I think it’s not for me to comment. It’s nothing to do with me.
“I’m focusing on my decisions, on what I have to do. And I think for us to be talking about other drivers when we don’t know any facts, I don’t see any point to do so.”
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is seeking to replace Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton for 2025 and has been vocal that Verstappen is his number-one choice for the opening.
Perez, who has partnered Verstappen since 2021, has admitted that the Dutchman electing to head for pastures new would put Red Bull in a challenging predicament.
“I think the team is in a very strong position with the results we’re currently having, the harmony that there is in the team, I think to achieve that it just takes a lot of years,” he added.
“Right now the dynamics, everyone in the team is working well together. The whole engineering group is united. And you can see that on track and how efficient we’ve been in the last year.
“So I think I don’t see any reason to change it. And it will obviously be a blow for the team if Max were to leave.”
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