Sergio Perez will remain as Red Bull’s No.2 driver for the remainder of the Formula One season, despite a disappointing performance at the Belgian Grand Prix and ongoing concerns about his recent form.

Perez, who had started the Belgian Grand Prix from second on the grid, ended the race in seventh place. His finish was marred by what Red Bull’s motorsport advisor Helmut Marko described as a “complete collapse” during the latter stages of the race. Marko criticized Perez for failing to capitalize on his strong qualifying position, citing his inability to match competitive lap times as a significant issue.

“Unfortunately, Sergio had the chance to secure a strong result from second place, but he did not deliver,” Marko told Sky Germany. “Especially in the final stint, his performance deteriorated significantly, with lap times around 1m48s. What seemed promising in qualifying did not translate into race performance.”

Following talks held on Monday, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner confirmed that Perez would continue as their second driver. Horner addressed the team at their Milton Keynes base, reaffirming Perez’s position despite recent speculation about his future.

“Checo remains a Red Bull Racing driver despite recent speculation, and we are eager to see him perform well at circuits where he has previously excelled after the summer break,” Horner stated, as reported by Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.

This decision means that reserve drivers Liam Lawson, Daniel Ricciardo, and Yuki Tsunoda will not be replacing Perez when the season resumes after the summer break.

Perez, who signed a contract extension with Red Bull last month to stay with the team until the end of the 2026 season, has been enduring a significant slump in form. His last podium finish was at the Chinese Grand Prix in April, the fourth race of the season. Since then, he has struggled, with multiple finishes outside the top five and two retirements.

Despite Perez’s challenges, Red Bull remains at the top of the constructors’ championship with 408 points, though McLaren has closed the gap to 42 points behind. Perez, a five-time race winner, played a crucial role in Red Bull’s success last year but has yet to secure a victory this season, with his last win coming at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in April 2023.

The Formula One season will resume with the Dutch Grand Prix from August 23 to 25, where Perez will have the opportunity to turn his season around and demonstrate his value to the team.