MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - OCTOBER 26: Sergio Perez of Mexico and Oracle Red Bull Racing talks with race engineer Hugh Bird in the garage prior to qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on October 26, 2024 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images).

After a rather difficult season, Sergio Perez and Red Bull have decided to go separate ways at the end of the year.

In the last few days, rumors spread that the Mexican was set to leave the Milton Keynes squad after their fourth season together. The rumors became true, as Perez confirmed on his Instagram account.

The news means that there is now a vacant seat at Red Bull, which many drivers are aiming at. However, being teammates with Max Verstappen is no easy feat, considering how fast he is and that he dominated the last few seasons in F1.

There is still no official statement regarding who will replace Perez, but Liam Lawson seems to be the first in line, with Yuki Tsunoda also being a potential candidate. Should either one of them be picked by Red Bull, another vacant seat would open up at RB F1 Team.

Regarding Perez’s departure, the Mexican added a few words during the official press conference, saying that driving for such a special team has surely been unforgettable. Moreover, he added that “we’ll meet again soon”, even though he didn’t share any particular plan for the future.

 “I’m incredibly grateful for the past four years with Oracle Red Bull Racing and for the opportunity to race with such an amazing team.

“Driving for Red Bull has been an unforgettable experience and I’ll always cherish the successes we achieved together. We broke records and reached remarkable milestones, and I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people along the way.

“A big thank you to every person in the Team from the management, engineers and mechanics, catering, hospitality, kitchen, marketing, and communications, as well as everyone at Milton Keynes, I wish you all the best for the future.

“It has also been an honor to race alongside Max as a teammate all these years and to share in our success.

“A special thank you to the fans around the world, and especially to the Mexican fans for your unwavering support every day. We’ll meet again soon. And remember… Never give up.”