Even before the 2024 Formula 1 season has gotten underway, Sergio Perez has already been given an option to extend his racing career away from the pinnacle of motorsport.
Perez’s Red Bull contract is set to expire at the end of this year, with the general expectation being that it won’t be extended.
Most expect Red Bull to bring Daniel Ricciardo back into the team for at least the 2025 season if he does well for AlphaTauri this year, and then potentially poach Lando Norris for 2026 when the new power unit regulations are introduced.
In other words, Perez is likely going to need to look elsewhere if he wants to continue racing in F1.
Whilst there are several contracts set to expire across the grid at the end of the upcoming season, none are at a team which can take the fight to Red Bull or compete at a similar level to them.
Perez will need to accept a slower package if he wants to remain in F1 or perhaps move to a leading seat in another series.
The latter has been reported over the weekend, with Formula E co-founder Alberto Longo being keen on the Mexican driver joining the all-electric series.
There are several very strong seats available for 2025 as things stand and he’d still have a home race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
Longo, reportedly, talks “constantly” to Perez about potentially moving to Formula E, with the sport’s co-founder joking that Perez needs to join a “real competition”.
Perez is more than “welcome” to join Formula E, as Longo has stressed that the “doors will be open” to him.
“I talk constantly with Checo and I hope he makes a jump to real competition (laughs). Formula E is his home, the doors will be open and he is welcome,” Longo told AS media, as reported by Fox Sports.
Whether Perez is ready to say goodbye to F1 remains to be seen; however, Formula E racing on mainly street circuits could excite him.
Perez has proven to be a street-track master over recent years, with all of his Red Bull wins having come at street circuits.
Formula E could, therefore, suit him very well.