Perez's Billionaire Sponsor Speaks Out On Potential Red Bull Exit

Wednesday, 30 October 2024 at 14:00

Carlos Slim Domit, son of billionaire businessman Carlos Slim Helu, revealed his plans concerning sponsoring the Red Bull Racing F1 team with Sergio Perez.

The 2024 season has not been going well for the Red Bull Racing F1 driver Sergio Perez who is currenlty standing eighth in the Drivers' Championship with 150 points.

The Austrian team considered replacing him during the summer break following the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix but ultimately decided to retain both him and Daniel Ricciardo (who was also in danger of being replaced).

In the meantime, of course, Red Bull has already replaced Ricciardo with Liam Lawson in VCARB, and with no improvements in results since the summer break, Perez is facing huge pressure as well.

Speaking to the media after the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner would not confirm that his team plans to continue with Perez until the end of the season (4 race weekends remain.

Multiple theories on social media suggested that the team from Milton Keynes kept Perez only because they faced pressure from sponsors and the owner of F1 - Liberty Media, to at least retain the Mexican driver for his home Grand Prix - which took place last weekend.

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If Red Bull Racing decided to replace Perez, they could potentially lose big sponsors like Slim Domit - America Movil (Telcel, Claro).

Slim Domit said in a recent interview with ESPN that while future collaboration with Red Bull is uncertain, he plans to continue supporting Sergio Perez.

"We are talking with the team, we are still in talks, it is not definite, but the one we will always intend to continue with is Checo. As far as we can always with him [Perez], without a doubt."

"The issue of Checo’s contract is independent of the issue of sponsorship for us, it has always been like that since he signed with the team, but if there was no longer the opportunity to continue with the team we would certainly continue with Checo."

"The intention is to continue with Checo, wherever he is, we will be with him."

"Many times we have been with many drivers; we were with Bruno Senna, we were with Pietro Fittipaldi, and we were with the two Mexican drivers with Checo and Esteban [Gutiérrez]."

"If there was an opportunity to talk in the case of doing something with Franco [Colapinto], it wouldn't be anything related to Checo."

"We are always looking to support Latin American drivers, Franco is doing very well, but without a doubt our important project has always been to continue building the development of Mexican drivers and Checo, without a doubt, is the one who represents all of us."