SILVERSTONE, England — Under-pressure Sergio Pérez did nothing to quieten the noise around his future, spinning out of the first qualifying session at the British Grand Prix.
Pérez ran wide at the Stowe corner and then lost control of his car, getting beached in the gravel in the process.
Pérez, who signed to a new Red Bull deal after the Monaco Grand Prix but has only scored 15 points at the last five races, appears to be on shaky ground at the world champions.
Sources have indicated to ESPN a continuation of his bad form into the summer break could force the team to consider replacing him at the team.
Red Bull have grown increasingly alarmed by Pérez’s spiralling form now that McLaren appear to be contenders for victory at every race.
It was hoped a new deal for Pérez, and an end to the uncertainty over his future which seems to follow him around this point in every season, would kick-start his season, but the opposite has happened.
Several hours before Pérez’s exit from Q1, McLaren CEO Zak Brown told the media at Silverstone that Pérez’s rotten streak of results means his team could well fight Red Bull for the constructors’ championship, held between the 10 teams.
RB drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda would both be in prime position to step up and replace Pérez were that to happen, with New Zealander Liam Lawson then available to replace either of them.
Perez’s teammate Max Verstappen nearly joined him as an elimination from Q1, running wide at the same point as the rain intensified later in the session, but he was able to progress.
