Christian Horner has revealed that Sergio Perez is set to take time out from F1 (Image: Getty)
boss has revealed what lies ahead for after parting ways with the Mexican.
The decision was made official on Wednesday with Perez reportedly deciding to leave, although had already long begun their search for his replacement. The 34-year-old will not be on the grid next year, and it is unclear whether he will ever return to Grand Prix racing after four campaigns with and 15 seasons behind the wheel of an F1 car.
Horner has now commended the job done by Perez and revealed that he plans to take some time out with family, while remaining involved in Racing away from the track.
“Checo has been a fantastic member of this team,” Horner told Sky Sports. “It’s been a tough year for him, but he’s a great person and he played a key role in the 2021 Drivers’ Championship.
“We sat down and discussed [his future] last week. He’s decided to take a bit of time out, take a sabbatical from Formula 1 essentially. He’ll still be involved with the brand and the team. But he’s stepping back from driving duties moving forward.
“We’re sad to see him leave the team. It’s time for him to spend time with his family and reflect on what he wants to do for the future.”
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Sergio Perez did not win a single Grand Prix in 2024 (Image: Getty)
Perez endured a torrid 2024 season, with his eighth-place finish in the individual charts dragging down to third in the team standings. The veteran’s results were particularly alarming when compared with his team-mate, , who won nine races and notched 14 podiums to Perez’s zero victories and four podiums.
Nevertheless, Perez reflected fondly on his time with in a statement he posted on . “I’m incredibly grateful for the past four years with Racing,” he said. “I’ll always cherish the success we achieved together. It’s been an honour to race alongside Max as a team-mate all these years and to share in our success.”
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While Perez’s F1 career has seemingly wound down, for two young up-and-comers it is just heating up. Liam Lawson, 22, is reportedly set to be promoted from and race alongside Verstappen in 2025.
Meanwhile Isack Hadjar, a 20-year-old member of the junior driver programme, is in line to take Lawson’s place for what will be his full-time F1 bow.