Amid the frenzy of Perez’s dwelling race, and fixed hypothesis about his contract, the 33-year-old knew {that a} good efficiency at Mexico Metropolis would assist silent doubts about his future and show that hints of a turnaround in type from Austin have been actual.
However a win-or-bust perspective at Flip 1 backfired as he clashed with Charles Leclerc, was launched down the escape highway, and suffered an excessive amount of harm to maintain racing.
That exit, with Lewis Hamilton later ending behind Max Verstappen, as soon as once more noticed Perez’s second-place place within the drivers’ championship come underneath risk – additional triggering discuss that Crimson Bull could not see out his contract into 2024.
These whispers turned open discuss the day after the race, although, when Spanish journalist Albert Fabrega dropped a cryptic tweet that one thing huge may very well be occurring within the paddock.
“I do not need to imagine the hearsay that they’ve informed me now within the paddock. No,” he wrote in Spanish on X (previously generally known as Twitter).
The absence from Fabrega of any data, context or rationalization for the way dependable the hearsay was lit the fuse on F1’s hearsay mill. His tweet was seen greater than 11 million occasions.
With Fabrega being Spanish, folks suspected that it was nearly actually associated to Fernando Alonso. Had the Spaniard grown pissed off with Aston Martin’s fall from type this 12 months and determined that now was the correct time to retire from F1?
Or may Fabrega’s piece of gossip be intertwined with Perez’s personal future. Many requested was the Mexican about to get dropped, and changed by Alonso for 2024?
Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Sergio Perez, Crimson Bull Racing, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Staff,
That latter principle was revved up with Crimson Bull Spain posted a shushing face emoji following Fabrega’s authentic Tweet.
Fabrega in all probability by no means anticipated his authentic tweet would go viral, and is actually not the type of journalist that gives such a blatant tease merely to get consideration for the sake of it.
However no matter his authentic motivation, Pandora’s Field was open and there was no means the gossip was going to be silenced – even with Fabrega later tweeting a follow-up to attempt to calm issues down.
“I am simply going to say one factor concerning the hearsay that I informed you yesterday,” he wrote. “From the tone of the textual content it’s understood that I’d not prefer it to occur. From right here, you may speculate as a lot as you/we wish. And I hope it stays a hearsay and never information. Finish of thread.”
So, what of the principle story theories surrounding Fabrega’s tweets?
That Alonso needs to give up sounds unlikely, to say the least. The 42-year-old left Alpine on the finish of 2022 as a result of it didn’t need to decide to a multi-year contract with him. He needs to proceed so long as he stays fast.
He appears as motivated and hungry as ever and, whereas clearly not as joyful now with the efficiency of the Aston Martin as he was at first of the season, there was no trace of him giving up on the mission.
Actually, he appears to grasp that the sensible type at first of this 12 months was a bonus and that it was all the time a long-term mission to get Aston Martin near the entrance.
Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR23
“I do know that we’re increasingly like soccer right here and solely the final end result appears to depend,” he mentioned in Mexico.
“However we can’t neglect the place we have come from and what the mission is about. So, I am very happy with this season to this point.”
If Alonso is fired-up for extra in F1, then the rumours about him being the logical candidate to interchange Perez appear extra believable.
In spite of everything, some recommended a chat that Alonso’s supervisor Flavio Briatore was noticed having with Crimson Bull boss Christian Horner on the Qatar GP should have been driver associated.
Perez’s run of type within the dominant RB19 has been disappointing this 12 months. He has not received a race for the reason that Azerbaijan GP in April, and his finest end result within the final 5 races has been a fourth-placed end in Austin – which was helped by the disqualification of Lewis Hamilton.
The hole between him and Verstappen has fuelled discuss all season that his place may very well be underneath risk, regardless of there being a agency contract in place for 2024.
However, regardless of the depth of the rumours, senior sources at Crimson Bull insist it’s not pondering of every other situation proper now than of Perez being Verstappen’s team-mate at first of the 2024 season.
Whereas there could also be a component of frustration that Perez has not completed extra with the RB19, there are literally no apparent candidates who’re assured to be quicker, have the correct mindset to tackle Verstappen and, crucially, can be found to fit in.
Alonso may, in principle, tick all these containers however it’s understood that he’s not being thought of by Crimson Bull’s bosses – and neither is he particularly favoured by the group’s engine associate Honda.
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Staff
The squad has lengthy been aware that signing Alonso brings with it a number of potential political baggage, and that would danger opening inner hassle throughout the group that would destabilise Verstappen.
Crimson Bull sources insist he’s not an choice and that any discussions Horner had with Briatore in Qatar have been completely unrelated to drivers. One senior determine mentioned it was “complete nonsense” to suppose that Alonso was being lined up.
There are different quick drivers on the market who would match the invoice for Crimson Bull – like Lando Norris. However the Briton is underneath lock and key at McLaren and isn’t obtainable till the tip of 2025, so isn’t any candidate to interchange Perez but.
This all leaves Daniel Ricciardo because the most certainly prospect ought to Perez’s place be unsure – particularly off the again of how effectively he carried out in Mexico. However whereas he has impressed, it’s not thought that Crimson Bull has seen sufficient to suppose that he’s able to step up and go up towards Verstappen simply but.
Nevertheless, it isn’t unattainable that such a promotion may come sooner or later within the 2024 season if Perez’s type doesn’t enhance.
Ought to that situation occur, then it’s thought that Perez can be out of the Crimson Bull household fully as it’s understood his contract doesn’t enable the shuffling between the principle group and AlphaTauri as different drivers have had prior to now.
For now, the message is obvious that Crimson Bull bosses have religion and hope that Perez can finish this 12 months strongly and use that as a springboard to a greater 2024.
Marko mentioned of Perez’s exhibiting in Mexico: “[It was] a brilliant efficiency as much as the primary lap, and within the race, I am satisfied, he would even have completed on the rostrum.”
Crimson Bull group boss Christian Horner was inspired by Perez’s promising tempo in Mexico however is conscious that the problem is now on for him to safe that second place within the drivers’ championship.
Photograph by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool
Sergio Perez, Crimson Bull Racing
Whereas it’s not a easy case of that runner-up place to Verstappen guaranteeing his place, the group clearly hopes that the ultimate races give it cause to really feel that Perez has turned the nook.
Requested if Perez’s second-place end within the championship would resolve his future, Horner mentioned: “It’s not as binary as that. You’ve received to have a look at the circumstances and so forth and we’ve made a… Checo has an settlement with us for subsequent 12 months and that’s our intention, for him to be within the automotive in 2024.
“We’ll give him all of the assist we are able to to make sure that he finishes second however there’s no prerequisite that if he doesn’t end second, you’re out.”
Horner’s use of language was intriguing although, because the phrase ‘intention’ in F1-speak is usually marked to distinguish between what somebody needs to occur towards what’s going to actually occur.
As of proper now, it doesn’t seem that Crimson Bull is on the lookout for a special driver in 2024, so it seems that Fabrega’s tweet was maybe about one thing else.
The hyperlink to Alonso is clear, and it may very well be that there are some doubts rising concerning the future prospects of the Aston Martin group.
Off the again of the group’s fall, and particularly the way in which Lance Stroll has encountered such difficulties this 12 months, is group proprietor Lawrence Stroll shedding religion that he can produce a group that may make his son world champion? May the group be bought to another person as Stroll sr loses curiosity in F1?
That’s all onerous to foretell proper now, nevertheless it may be that the hearsay that was picked up in Mexico is nothing greater than that: only a hearsay.
It might not be the primary time that wild gossip has unfold across the paddock and social media earlier than going nowhere.
Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR23, Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB19