Formula 1: Top landing spot off the table after surprise extension

Sergio Perez has been on the hot seat ever since the middle of the 2023 Formula 1 season, and the rumors have stemmed from several rough performances.

There were several names in the running to potentially replace the 34-year-old at Red Bull for the 2025 season, but in the end, the Austrian team have decided to continue with Perez until the end of the 2026 season.

This news came as a bit of a surprise, considering the fact that Perez is believed to be at the tail end of his Formula 1 career. His struggles have also been frustrating both Christian Horner and Helmut Marko.

Given how many other drivers were available for the 2025 season, including Carlos Sainz Jr., the fact that the team gave him a two-year extension was an even bigger surprise. Now the top open seat on the market has been filled, with stability prevailing over a potential blockbuster move.

Red Bull seat stays with Sergio Perez

Red Bull have been notorious for making changes rather quickly if their drivers don't meet a high standard, and the new deal was announced amid an ongoing rough stretch of races for Perez.

The team being more generous towards Perez may be a surprise to some, but it could also be attributed to the Mexican driver’s heroics in the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which helped teammate Max Verstappen win his first world championship.

While he has struggled as of late, perhaps Perez securing his future in Formula 1 will be a massive weight lifted off his shoulders, giving him the ability to drive more freely for the rest of the year and perform better overall. It could be crucial by the end of the season, with Red Bull not walking away with this year's constructor championship.

Will Perez have to be replaced heading into the 2027 season? With the driver market not guaranteed to be nearly as strong two years from now, Red Bull maintaining this partnership of Verstappen and Perez for a fifth and sixth season is an interesting decision.