Red Bull Racing

LEWIS HAMILTON says he feels Sergio Perez has been put in a “difficult environment” because he does not have the full backing of everyone in his team.Hamilton was quizzed by Fox Sports ahead of this weekend’s Mexico Grand Prix with pressure forming on Red Bull’s Mexican driver.
Sergio Perez has endured a difficult season at Red BullCredit: Reuters
Lewis Hamilton believes the Red Bull driver has not had the full backing of his teamCredit: AP
Perez was recently criticised by Red Bull’s advisor Helmut Marko, who apologised for his comments towards him.
Perez, 33, is second in the drivers’ championship but faces uncertainties about his future even though the team are adamant he IS staying for next season.
Hamilton has now waded in and said: “I think that his team is not helping him at all.
“I know that Red Bull is made up of many members, but there are people who affect him psychologically and do not support him.
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“If I heard such negative things about myself every weekend it would be very difficult.
“So he is in a very complicated environment for him, but I think he knows how to deal with it.
“I haven’t experienced exactly something like what Sergio is going through, but as a driver I understand the psychological and mental pressures.
“It is something very heavy that falls on you and it is very difficult to explain it in words.
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“I think he has great support around him, he is taking care of himself very well.
“I was very excited for him at the beginning of the season, because he was driving so well.
“I even think that at some point he led the drivers’ championship and I thought ‘we are finally seeing the best of Checo’, but it is a very long year and a very long season.
“This is a very demanding sport, but what I can highlight most about Perez is that he always recovers, gets up and keeps trying.
“Something I can assure you is that Mexico is going to show itself this weekend.
“When I was at Silverstone I was very motivated and it will surely be something that will happen to him.”
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen says he has employed bodyguards this week to help him navigate a “really, really busy” paddock at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
Hamilton has a similar figure who helps him navigate the crowds at each GP.
When asked about it in Mexico, Verstappen, 25, said: “I mean, why not?
“I have a bit more security here. But there are always a few countries around the world where it’s very busy, also here in the paddock.
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“For example, last year, it was really, really busy to get from your hospitality to the garage.
“And it just helps also to make it a little bit smoother on track, off track, travel from your hotel, and stuff like that. [But] I feel very safe.” More

RED BULL have hired BODYGUARDS for Max Verstappen ahead of this week’s Mexico Grand Prix.That’s after the driver’s champion was booed last time out in Austin.
Verstappen was booed on the podium in AustinCredit: Reuters
Verstappen continued his dominance this season as he got his sixth win at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas.
But he was booed by F1 fans there to support Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.
There is a feeling from Perez fans that he has been disrespected by Red Bull.
And while the chorus of boos was ongoing, Verstappen’s girlfriend Kelly Piquet looked visibly unimpressed.
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Perez enjoys a strong support in Texas, but that support will be magnified tenfold at his home race at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico.
Perez has struggled again this season to match Verstappen and there is talk that he could lose his Red Bull seat going into next season.
Red Bull director Helmut Marko explained the decision to give Verstappen additional protection in Mexico to F1 Insider and said: “Max doesn’t actually want that and is relaxed. But we have responsibility for him. So we just want to be on the safe side.”
Team Principal Christian Horner explained that while he expects Verstappen to receive a hostile reception, he doesn’t think it will bother the Dutchman:
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“I don’t think Max is going to get the warmest reception in Mexico! But that’s water off a duck’s back. One year you are the villain, the next year you are the hero.”
Verstappen has won four of the last five races in Mexico with Red Bull historically being very suited to the track.
There is speculation that should Perez fail to secure second place in the Driver’s Championship, he will lose his spot on the team.
But Horner poured cold water on that suggestion, saying: “With this car, it would be fantastic in such a season that we’ve had if we could finish first and second.
“But there’s no pre-mandate on Checo that you have to finish second or you won’t be driving the car next year. That’s never been discussed.”
Perez opened two of the opening four races this season before his form both in qualifying and races completely tailed off.
He has occasionally finished on the podium but his inability to challenge or even support his team-mate will surely be a concern to his team. More

F1 cult hero Daniel Ricciardo will return from injury for this weekend’s United States GP.The 34-year-old has missed the past five races after he broke his left hand in practice for the Dutch GP.
Daniel Ricciardo will return from injury for this weekend’s United States Grand PrixCredit: PA
The racing star is fan-favourite among F1 followersCredit: AFP
The Australian will be back behind the wheel at Austin, after recently participating in a Red Bull demonstration run in Nashville.
Ricciardo was handed a second chance by Red Bull’s junior team AlphaTauri following his dismissal by McLaren at the end of last season.
He was only three races into his comeback when he had a crash in Zandvoort. 
Liam Lawson, who has been filling in for Ricciardo, will now step aside as the fan favourite returns.
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And his loving supporters are thrilled to see him return to the Circuit of the Americas.
One Ricciardo enthusiast wrote: “Time to show Redbull what he is made off!”
A second said: “I hope he comes out swinging.”
A third added: “And hopefully next season he will be in the Red Bull with Max.”
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Despite his injury, AlphaTauri announced that they have kept the eight-time GP winner on their team for 2024, alongside Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda.
And Ricciardo hopes to use that as a springboard for a potential return to the Red Bull seat he vacated five years ago. 
Sergio Perez is out of contract at the end of next year and the team will consider its options for who may partner Max Verstappen in the long-term.
The US Grand Prix is scheduled to take place on Sunday, as Verstappen has already wrapped up the season with his third successive title.
Daniel Ricciardo underwent surgery for a broken hand in August More

CHRISTIAN HORNER has hinted that Max Verstappen may retire from Formula One early as he has ‘ambitions beyond racing.’The Red Bull driver sealed his third consecutive world championship after finishing second in the Qatar GP sprint race on Saturday.
Christian Horner believes Max Verstappen will not carry on for another 10 yearsCredit: AFP
This came after the Dutchman won his third consecutive title on SaturdayCredit: Getty
Verstappen, still only 26, became the first driver to wrap up a title during a sprint event, the short-form format introduced in 2021.
The Dutchman has completely dominated this season, winning 13 of the 16 races and getting on the podium in two more.
But Red Bull team principal Horner has suggested he won’t continue deep into his thirties.
Horner told PA Media: “He can go on to achieve so much more.
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“We are riding a wave at the moment, and we want to continue riding that wave for as long as we can.
“Will Max be in Formula One for a long, long time? I don’t think so.
“He has ambitions beyond F1 and beyond racing, and at 26, 36 seems a long way away.
“We have a long-term agreement with him until 2028, and he has always said he will be happy to start and end his career here, but motivation will be a crucial factor.”
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He also set a new record earlier in the campaign by racking up 10 consecutive wins, surpassing the legendary Michael Schumacher in the process.
Sergio Perez’s two early victories and Carlos Sainz’s win in Singapore remain the only blots on Verstappen’s historic record this year.
The Dutchman now leads his team-mate by a staggering 184 points.
He became the 11th driver to reach at least three titles and just the fifth to clinch a hat-trick in a row. More

SERGIO PEREZ is one of 14 F1 drivers out of contract in 2024.The sport is on course for a chaotic summer next season as drivers are dropped and change teams in a major shake-up.
Sergio Perez is one of 14 F1 drivers out of contract in 2024Credit: Getty
With six races remaining in 2023, Max Verstappen looks set to win his third straight world title.
However, the contract situation of more than half the drivers means next year is looking far less certain.
Whilst Verstappen is tied down to a long-term deal with Red Bull, his team-mate Perez is out of contract in 2024.
Perez’s situation is expected to impact on much of what happens with other drivers.
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The Mexican is reportedly unlikely to sign a new deal with Red Bull and could prompt them to secure his replacement early.
Although McLaren and Mercedes have their drivers contracted beyond the end of next season, the rest of the spots on the grid are seemingly up in the air.
Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are yet to pen new contracts but are both expected to commit to extensions.
Fernando Alonso’s future with Aston Martin is not yet finalised, with the constructor hoping their project is enough to keep hold of him.
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Although the Spaniard has had a good season, Aston Martin’s performances have regressed, causing doubts he will extend his deal.
Lance Stroll is expected to renew his contract with Mike Krack’s team, though.
Pierre Gasly is understood to have done enough to earn a new deal with Alpine, but Esteban Ocon could depart.
The Frenchman has been tipped as a potential replacement for Lando Norris at McLaren if he is snapped up by Red Bull to replace Perez.
Williams are hopeful they can retain Alex Albon beyond the end of 2024 but he has yet to put pen to paper on an extension.
His team-mate Logan Sargeant is expected to stay on for 2024, but the rookie will only be handed a one-year renewal, leaving his long-term future up in the air.
A decision from Haas on their drivers could be one of the last, with both Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg handed one-year extensions for next year.
It is currently believed that the duo will be retained for 2025, however, with few valuable alternatives available to Haas.
Formula 2 star Oliver Bearman has been suggested as a potential arrival if Guenther Steiner decides to shuffle his pack.
AlphaTauri are another team who could be impacted by Perez’s contract situaton.
Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda have been announced as their 2024 line-up and will both be hoping to replace Checo at Red Bull.
If one of them can earn that goal then AlphaTauri will join the list of constructors looking for replacements, with reserve driver Liam Lawson a potential target.
Finally, Alfa Romeo face considerable uncertainty ahead of their 2026 rebrand under Audi.
Zhou Guanyu is at risk of losing his place on the grid after a cycle of one-year renewals.
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F2 prospect Theo Pourchaire has been lined up as a possible replacement for the Chinese driver.
Meanwhile, Valtteri Bottas has under-performed since signing from Mercedes and may also slip off the grid if he does not improve.
Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc are yet to extend their Ferrari dealsCredit: Getty
Valtteri Bottas could leave Haas at the end of next yearCredit: Getty More

FORMULA ONE legend Eddie Jordan has named two potential replacements for Sergio Perez at Red Bull.Perez’s contract expires at the end of the 2024 season and boss Christian Horner has made it clear he will be exploring new driver options.
Eddie Jordan has revealed Liam Lawson should replace Sergio PerezCredit: Getty
Jordan also tipped off Oscar Piastri would be another optionCredit: Getty
And F1 icon Jordan reckons Red Bulls should look at Liam Lawson and Oscar Piastri to fill the Mexican’s seat.
Perez, 33, has struggled this season and is already a massive 177 points behind team-mate, and runaway title leader, Max Verstappen in the driver’s standings.
That form has seen Perez’s future be called into question with reserve driver Lawson tipped to take over.
Lawson, 21, made his F1 debut this month, for Red Bull’s sister team AlphaTauri, standing in for injured Daniel Ricciardo in Singapore and Japan.
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His ninth-place finish in Singapore was the team’s best of the season, and he followed it with an 11th in Japan.
But it wasn’t enough to earn him a permanent seat next season, as AlphaTauri confirmed Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda will return.
But Jordan was impressed and suggested on his Formula For Success podcast that Lawson would be a perfect fit for Horner’s team.
He said: “Lawson finishing 11th – and he just keeps doing it – in a car that really shouldn’t be there, scoring points in Singapore, and he’s on the case all the time.
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“Lawson deserves a chance in Formula 1, you can only win the championship with one driver.
“And, in my opinion, if you are going to change Checo Perez, I would change them for somebody absolutely new who has a really bright future.
“I think Lawson because it’s the same kind of feeder team, isn’t it?
“Where Sebastian Vettel came from and Lawson has that ability. I think he, either next year or the year after, should wind up in Red Bull.”
While he clearly rates Lawson, Jordan admitted he would go for someone else if he were in charge of Red Bull.
Former team owner Jordan added: “I think Piastri is the real deal.
“Full marks to McLaren, they’ve signed him ’til ’26 because they needed to because he will be a very sought-after driver.
“If I was in Red Bull, and I was thinking of replacing Checo, he’d be the one I’d have in my mind.” More