Sergio Perez's future in Formula 1 is "open," according to Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko, despite Perez's contract with the team for 2025.
Throughout the current season, questions have lingered about Perez's place on the team, especially after his disappointing performance at the Mexican GP last weekend.
Perez, 34, brushed aside speculation about being pushed out of Formula 1 by the end of the year, telling Sky Deutschland, "No, not at all. I will be here next year to continue to fight for victory."
However, Perez now faces competition from RB newcomer Liam Lawson, who is seen as a strong contender for the 2025 race seat at the senior team. The two even clashed on track during Sunday's race, which escalated when Lawson showed Perez 'the finger'.
"I shouldn't have done that and I apologise for it," said Lawson. "He had nothing better to do than block me for half a lap, trying to ruin my race – that's why I was angry. But that's no excuse. It's not who I am and I shouldn't have done something like that."
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes that Red Bull should bring an end to the speculation sooner rather than later.
"Red Bull will make a decision after this weekend," Schumacher said. "There's just no point anymore – not for either side. The poor guy is under so much pressure. There's no more joy on his face. This is supposed to be fun."
Schumacher also suggested that Red Bull needs to act fast if it hopes to catch Ferrari to be runner-up in the constructors' championship, adding, "Financially, this is a disaster for the team. Next year he won't drive a single metre in the car anyway. I don't even think he'll finish the season.
"If they want to do something about Ferrari in the constructors' championship, they'll have to do it quickly."
Marko acknowledged Perez's struggles in Mexico but pointed out that his race pace was affected by "massive" damage to his floor. "What he showed was not relevant because his car was no longer at the standard it should be at," Marko explained.
But when asked directly about Perez's future at Red Bull, Marko's response was brief but telling: "Open."
