Over the years, Sergio Perez has earned a reputation as a skilled and tenacious driver, particularly noted for his ability to manage tires and execute strategic race performances. He has played a crucial role in the team's success, consistently contributing with podium finishes and acting as a key support to his teammate, Max Verstappen, in the championship battles for the last few years. However, he has not been very helpful in this year’s season. Statistics clearly speaks for itselves. No victory this season, only 4 podiums in one of the fastest cars on the grid, 146 points gap to his teammate Max Verstappen and last but not least too many crashes, costing the team over $3.000.000, which might play a crucial role in the cost cap for Red Bull.

Red Bull has quite a reputation for firing drivers in the middle of the season as an example of Pierre Gasly in 2019 who was replaced by Alex Albon, who also didn’t stay in Red Bull for much longer. However, if we look at Gasly’s results from the last 8 races before he was fired, he scored 50 points and secured 4 top-six finishes. In the mean time Perez scored 28 points and unbelivable 0 top-six finishes in the last 8 races.

Despite all of this, Red Bull has still decided to give Perez another chance and it has probably been the best decision they could’ve made because simply, there wouldn’t be anyone ideal to replace him.

First on the list of drivers potentially replacing Sergio Perez is Yuki Tsunoda. The Japanese driver has shown flashes of talent and improvement over the past few years in newly rebranded RB but he may not yet have the consistent performance and experience Red Bull seeks for a seat in their top-tier team. Red Bull's main team typically requires drivers who can consistently challenge for podiums and support their lead driver in the Constructors' Championship, and Tsunoda might need more time to develop these attributes. Red Bull mainly looks for a candidate who not only shows potential but can also withstand the intense pressure of competing at the front. Tsunoda, still relatively young and in his early years in F1, might be seen as still maturing in this regard. He is also not seen as a ideal teammate match for Max Verstappen, especially because of his intense, sometimes even aggressive presonality, which makes the drivers too similar and therefore not really compatible as teammates.

Next one on the list is Daniel Ricciardo. His recent return to the Red Bull ecosystem, through RB, is partly a way for him to reestablish his form and confidence after a difficult period at McLaren and half a year completely our of F1. While he has a proven track record, including multiple wins during his first stint at Red Bull, his recent performance struggles have raised questions about whether he can consistently deliver at the highest level. Another point is that Ricciardo, while experienced, is nearing the latter stages of his career, making him less of a long-term option compared to younger drivers like Tsunoda or others in their junior program. Therefore, Red Bull might see more benefit in using Ricciardo's experience to mentor younger drivers at RB rather than moving him back to the main team.

Last one on the list of options would be Liam Lawson a young driver, who is part of the Red Bull’s junior program. While Lawson is a promising young talent, he lacks the experience that Sergio Perez offers. Red Bull, compared to for example McLaren, tends to be more cautious about placing young, relatively unproven drivers in their top team, where the pressure is immense. Lawson, though showing potential in junior categories and as a reserve driver, would face a steep learning curve if thrust into such a high-stakes environment. However, Red Bull has to make a decisions about Lawson’s future very soon as his contract with them is coming to an end. According to latest speculations he will get a seat in F1 next season, probably in RB.

In conclusion, Perez’s experience and loyalty played a crucial role in Red Bull’s decision of keeping him for the rest of the 2024 season. However, Pierre Gasly, 5 years ago, was told the exact same thing as Perez before the summer break and still got fired right after.