Time (and the Red Bull debacle) prove Checo Pérez right.

For just over a year, Checo Pérez drove an untamed car. The Red Bull car, one of the most successful teams in Formula 1, instilled fear in rivals with its boastful power and aerodynamics. But the real fear lay with the Mexican driver. The car, so successful in Verstappen's hands, became unpredictable for Pérez. In 2023, he managed to secure the runner-up position in the world championship , but in 2024, he barely managed to salvage the season in eighth place.

In May 2024, despite the car's notorious development issues, Red Bull offered Pérez a contract to race until 2026. It seemed there was maximum confidence in him, but the noise and pressure took their toll on the Mexican. The RB20, the name of the car, evolved and underwent mechanical changes that harmed its drivers. The most affected was Pérez, who achieved four podium finishes in the first five races throughout 2024. After the Miami Grand Prix, the tragedy began, with the Mexican struggling to qualify and finish races. He had to retire five times during the season.

“I had to drive the Red Bull very consciously. Normally, drivers drive unconsciously; everything is automatic, you think very little. With the Red Bull, I had to think about every move,” Checo Pérez told Desde el paddock , a successful Mexican podcast starring another driver promoted by the Slim family, Memo Rojas Jr. Pérez, after seven months of silence and vacation, spoke openly about how Red Bull left him helpless.

“I was able to adapt to the car. I could handle it at the beginning, but when a change in wind, weather, or rain hit me, I was uncontrollable,” he said. The British press, the country where F1 was born, was scathing in its criticism of the Mexican. The pressure was unbearable. The team, led by Christian Horner, preferred to give in to the criticism and dismiss the Mexican, despite the fact that he already had a contract until 2026 and doing so would have entailed a massive severance package. Without Pérez and all the financial leverage he represented, the team had a financial hole. Horner found a replacement in Liam Lawson , a young driver who only lasted two Grands Prix in 2025 before being relegated.

After Lawson, Horner gave the seat to Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda. Under him, the results have been similar to Lawson's. After 12 races, Red Bull is in fourth place in the Constructors' Championship. At that point, in 2024, the team was still second, and Perez already had 118 points . In 2025, Lawson has just 12 points and Tsunoda 10, without a single podium finish. "Deep down, they're very sorry, and I know that from a very good source," Perez said in the podcast. "He's still a good friend to the team, everyone loves him very much, but there's no regret about not continuing," Horner replied weeks later at the British GP.

On Wednesday, Red Bull management dismissed Christian Horner from the Formula 1 team after 20 years with the team. Horner, who served as CEO, team principal, and head of the marketing department, left the team he helped build mid-season. Horner was burdened by accusations of bullying, as well as the departures of Adrian Newey , the car design genius, and Jonathan Wheatley, the sporting director. Horner's power was accentuated by the death of Dietrich Mateschitz , one of the founders of the energy drink company.

Checo Pérez, who took a forced sabbatical, has been looking back at the entire Red Bull debacle. His goal, he has revealed, is to return to Formula 1 in 2026 only if there is a project that appeals to him. "I'll come back if it's worth the price to be in F1," he commented, referring to the constant travel during the 24 races a year and the limited time to see his family. Proposals have emerged, such as those from Cadillac and Alpine. Pérez will wait a little longer to see if, amid so many changes for next year, a real possibility of returning to the elite competition emerges.