Ricciardo CRASHES OUT - Lap 1 red flag! | 02:12It’s been remarkably easy to forget the driver market’s biggest question mark in the frenetic early months of the 2024 season.
But those days feel like a long time ago, and today you’d be hard pressed to find anyone talking about Pérez’s contract as a current hot topic in the paddock. He crashed again shortly afterwards in an insipid attempt to pass Kevin Magnussen at the hairpin. With another front wing broken, the team opted to retire the car rather than send the Mexican back out.
Australia was the only blip, where he was the team’s sole finisher in fifth, but his car was hampered by a floor obstruction during the race, and the RB20 lacked its usual competitive advantage at Albert Park anyway. Fifth was probably reasonably representative.The six-time race winner’s struggles have grown progressively larger in this regulatory era. As Red Bull Racing has developed the car, it’s become edgier and more difficult to control.
“Then we found out towards the end of the year that it was better to just step back and not try to chase it too much with the set-up, because then you start compromising other things.“I’m a lot more comfortable, a lot happier, and the confidence is slowly coming back.”Sceptical observers might note that at this stage last season Pérez was also in fine form.
He missed out on Q3 for the following five consecutive races, including two Q1 knockouts, and collected only five more podiums for the entire year. And having returned to Japan and performed strongly, he’s now on the way to banishing some of last year’s demons. “The whole driver market seems to be very early this year,” Horner said. “Everybody seems to be rushing around and we’re only four races into the year.
“I am pretty relaxed about it. My main focus is in F1. Whatever comes next, I’m really pleased with what I’ve done in the sport so far.”The next contract cycle is crucial for both teams and drivers given anything more than a one-year deal will cross into 2026 and the new regulations.