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Sergio Perez says every team with an empty seat is an option for next season but a Red Bull call-up appears his only real chance of continuing in Formula 1.
Perez will leave Racing Point at the end of the year after the team opted to replace him with four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel for its transformation into Aston Martin’s works team.
Since then, other teams have either locked down their line-ups or closed in on expected signings – but Alex Albon’s ongoing struggles with Red Bull mean that door remains open to Perez, though he faces competition from fellow out-of-contract driver Nico Hulkenberg.
Perez said ahead of the Turkish Grand Prix that he still has no news about his future and “at the moment, we just have to wait and see”, though he admitted he is running out of time.
“Until the team’s gonna announce a driver, everything is an option,” Perez insisted.
“Every team that hasn’t announced their line-up, it’s an option.”
But is that really the case?
MERCEDES
‘Perez among Mercedes options if Hamilton doesn’t sign’ would be a tremendous headline in 2020.
It was a valid one eight years ago, as Perez claims he held initial conversations about a move to Mercedes in 2013 if Hamilton couldn’t be prised from McLaren.
Of course, Hamilton did make the move, which created a short-lived career opportunity for Perez anyway as he replaced the Briton at McLaren.
Several years later, Hamilton hasn’t got a Mercedes deal sorted beyond 2020. So the seat is available and therefore Mercedes fits Perez’s critiera for his 2021 options.
Unfortunately for Perez it seems very, very unlikely that he’s on Mercedes’ shortlist now. Mercedes and Hamilton both expect to sign a new deal, even though the prospect of a Hamilton departure was played up post-Imola a couple of weeks ago.
RED BULL
Comfortably the best option Perez has, both in terms of the quality of the seat and the likelihood he can earn it.
Joining Max Verstappen at Red Bull would seem like Perez’s world balancing out after how unceremoniously he has found himself dumped by Racing Point ahead of what should have been a big career opportunity for Perez with Aston.
With nothing else anywhere near as appealing, let alone likely, Perez is absolutely right to hang on for this potential move.
However, that does require Red Bull to pull the pin on dumping Albon – and even if it does, the small murmurs coming from Red Bull suggest that Hulkenberg is the preferred candidate to replace him.
ALPHATAURI
Though Red Bull is open to going outside its driver pool for the main team, its sister operation at AlphaTauri has ample self-made options.
Plan A is Pierre Gasly, who is already confirmed, with F1 debutant Yuki Tsunoda to partner him.
Confirmation is awaiting Tsunoda actually securing a superlicence, but if the Formula 2 rookie doesn’t do that, a reprieve for Daniil Kvyat or a demotion for Alex Albon are the likeliest alternatives.
There’s no room at this inn for Perez.
HAAS
Perez is only interested in a backwards step if it can be a serious project, which Haas may well represent for 2022 and beyond if not the short-term.
And a move to the American team was widely touted as a real option for Perez, who reportedly held initial talks.
But that door seems to have been closed with the expectation Haas will move to an all-rookie line-up in 2021.
Formula 2 championship leader Mick Schumacher appears certain to join Haas with Ferrari determined to promote a junior to F1 next year and its other customer team Alfa Romeo re-signing both Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi.
Schumacher is expected to be partnered by well-backed F2 colleague Nikita Mazepin.
F1 EXIT LOOKING MORE LIKELY
Realistically, Perez is staring down the barrel of an F1 exit – despite being on course to record his best championship finish because of an excellent season.
Though he insists he is being optimistic about the options in front of him, Perez has also acknowledged how late in the year it is.
That is less of an issue in F1 circles given options have already quickly dwindled, but it means finding a seat in another series looks very challenging.
“I need to know what will happen in my side to to be able to plan everything,” he says.
“It’s happening now too late. We’re already close to December.
“Everything, it’s so late now. And it looks like I will know whether I continue in Formula 1 or not quite late in the year.
“So, a sabbatical, it’s an option. But we’ll see what happens in the next couple of weeks.”
