Red Bull’s Formula 1 advisor Helmut Marko has revealed the specific criteria he expects to be met in order for the current driver lineup to avoid an immediate reshuffle.

Sergio Perez’s contract with Red Bull currently runs until 2026, however much discussion about whether he deserves to stay in the lineup alongside Max Verstappen has plagued his season.

Marko, who is no stranger to an immediate driver swap within the Red Bull family, recently emphasised his enthusiasm for capitalising on the team’s young driver talent, especially now that Liam Lawson has been given a chance on-track with RB.

Speaking to Sky Germany at the United States Grand Prix, Marko made it clear that if Perez were to miraculously turn around his poor form, his 2025 seat wouldn’t be questioned.

Perez’s results in Austin did little to bolster confidence in his future. The Mexican driver endured a challenging weekend, qualifying P11 for the sprint race before finishing outside the points in ninth.

In Sunday’s Grand Prix, Perez only managed P10 in qualifying and finished a disappointing seventh, losing out to George Russell, who had started from the pit lane and still managed to secure sixth.

With McLaren now leading the constructors’ championship by 40 points and Ferrari only eight points behind Red Bull in third, the Austrian team need their second driver to perform at his maximum. Otherwise, it’s likely Perez will be replaced.