Sergio Perez had a horrible time in Las Vegas (Image: Getty)
has called out after a disappointing race at the , explaining that the Mexican’s struggles have cost employees their bonuses for the 2024 season.
’s employee bonuses are tied to the Constructors’ Championship, rather than the Drivers’ Championship, so while ’s elation in Las Vegas after sealing his fourth successive title will bring immense pride to the team, it will do little to aid them financially.
Despite Verstappen wrapping up the Drivers’ Championship title fight with two rounds to spare, head to Qatar third in the Constructors’ Championship, 30 points behind and 54 behind leaders .
This struggle has been largely down to Perez’s form. After a miserable race in Las Vegas saw him take the chequered flag in P10, the 34-year-old now has just one top-five finish in his last 17 races. All seven other drivers racing across the top four teams have scored at least two wins this season, while he has just four podiums to show for his efforts.
Speaking to DAZN after Verstappen clinched his title in Sin City, Marko said: “We have to have two drivers who finish in the points. Max is more than 200 points ahead of Sergio
“For now the main thing was to win the championship for Max but for our employees, it is a disappointment because they will not receive their bonuses, as they depend on our position in the Constructors’ Championship.”
Don’t miss…
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our
Helmut Marko is unhappy with Sergio Perez’s performances (Image: Getty)
Perez’s struggles mean that heading into the final two races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, he will need to produce two strong performances to justify retaining his services for the 2025 campaign.
The Milton Keynes-based team certainly have a wealth of alternatives waiting in the wings should they decide to break Perez’s contract. Liam Lawson, and Franco Colapinto have all been touted as potential replacements for the six-time Grand Prix winner.
More F1… [REPORT] [DRAMA]
Unlike some of his bosses, Perez isn’t giving up on clawing back control of the Constructors’ Championship. After the chequered flag, he said: “It’s not mathematically lost, we’re gonna keep pushing. I really hope that in Qatar we can turn things around and be a lot more competitive.
“I think we really need to solve the issues we’ve had this year. I think the team knows exactly where we are at, and is the best team, and I believe that we can have a much better car for next year.”