Red Bull chief Christian Horner has 'unsustainable' dilemma to resolve with Max Verstappen to 'stay'

Perez's contract at Red Bull expires later this year and he is unsure where he will be racing from the 2025 season.

He has finished second in three of the four races so far in this campaign, while he came fifth in Australia following Verstappen's early retirement.

Despite the three Red Bull 1-2s so far in 2024, Schumacher reckons Verstappen needs a new team-mate.

He claims there is a big difference in quality between the two current drivers for the reigning champions.
Schumacher told Sky in Germany: "If everything goes well, he can stay close to Max Verstappen.

"In the race, it is as if they are both from a different planet while they are in the same car. It is unsustainable for the team."

Mercedes are linked with Verstappen and reports claim they have approved a salary and bonus package for the three-time world champion.

The Silver Arrows are looking for a replacement for Lewis Hamilton, who will join Ferrari next year.

But Schumacher believes Verstappen will stay at Red Bull and has put forward Carlos Sainz's name as a replacement for Perez.

Sainz will leave Ferrari to make way for Hamilton. Schumacher added: "Carlos Sainz is available. There are also young drivers who are emerging, there is a lot happening on the market.

"At the moment I think Max Verstappen will stay, despite Mercedes hoping otherwise.

"I think Carlos Sainz has the best chance after the next race. Sainz is used to driving next to strong drivers and he knows that the Max Verstappen era must end at some point. He knows that.

"Sainz thinks he is the best driver, otherwise he wouldn’t be doing this. We shouldn’t underestimate how much racing intelligence he has.

"The only question I have is how he handles the [Red Bull] concept. We know that the car has a lot of understeer because Max Verstappen wants that."

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Red Bull team principal Christian Horner played down talk of Perez's exit following the Japanese Grand Prix.

Horner claimed the 34-year-old has the power to keep his seat if he continues to impress.

"It's his seat to lose," he told Sky Sports.

"He's doing a great job, I mean he qualified within a tenth of a second yesterday, by far his best qualifying performance round here.

"And I think that you can see his confidence is growing and I think his performance in the race was very strong today.

"So his third second place of the year and doing everything that's needed of him."