Should Red Bull keep Sergio Perez on despite the increased media scrutiny?

Red Bull driver Sergio Pérez believes the media scrutiny is 'probably worse' for Red Bull drivers, as the Mexican sits seventh in the Formula One Drivers Championship.

On the 4th of June, Red Bull Racing signed Perez to another multi-year contract until the end of the 2026 season.

According to the Formula One website, Perez's deal was set to expire at the end of this season, but they have decided to keep him on board for another two.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

In a car as fast as Red Bull's, Perez is having a poor year and going through a sticky spell in Formula One, having won no races and securing four podiums in 14 starts.

Despite signing a new deal, Planet F1 reports there was speculation that Perez wouldn't return to the Red Bull team for the Dutch Grand Prix after the summer break, but boss Christian Horner has confirmed he will finish the season.

Pérez spoke on the speculation and intense scrutiny: "I think at Red Bull there is a lot of talk all the time in the media and the scrutiny, and it's probably worse for the Red Bull drivers, definitely."

Perhaps people in North and South America feel he deserved the new contract, but for the rest of the world, Perez hasn't shown enough to be awarded a new contract in one of the top premier seats in the sport.

According to the GP Blog, former driver Ralf Schumacher believes Christian Horner doesn't like the talent in the Red Bull junior team, and they don't have confidence in Yuki Tsunoda, Liam Lawson, or Daniel Ricciardo to fulfill Perez's position.

Ralf Schumacher, who raced ten years in f1, said: "That's why they extended the contract for financial reasons, because Max Verstappen is relatively expensive, and Sergio Perez takes a lot of money thanks to his sponsors."

"And now the ball is in Red Bull's court. They have to deliver now, and that brings us to Montreal. Because with the current car, Pérez cannot perform as he did last year."

According to Front Office Sports, Max Verstappen earned $55 million (£43m, €50m) in 2023, making $10 million more than Lewis Hamilton in second. Perez was seventh on the list, earning $14 million (£10m, €12m).

For Red Bull, it makes sense to keep Perez on financially as he makes more money from his sponsors, like Carlos Slim, than he does for his racing.

Red Bull needs to keep Max Verstappen happy and if the team needs more money to make him stay, they can keep him tied down if Perez is number two. Since joining in 2021, Perez has won five Grand Prix races.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!