Sergio Perez had 'two opportunities' to leave Red Bull as under-fire star speaks out

has revealed that he had 'two opportunities' from other teams on the grid earlier this season but opted to stay and fight for his future. The Mexican is contracted through until the end of 2026 but could lose his seat in six races time.

The 2024 campaign has been a major mental challenge for Perez. The 34-year-old's future was a constant topic of conversation heading into the campaign and after starting well with four podiums in five races, he looked to be thriving as Red Bull kicked off their title defence.

However, Perez's form took a considerable turn for the worse after the and he is still yet to make his return to the podium, dropping from second in the Drivers' Championship standings to eighth.

Such a dramatic tail-off sparked fears about his immediate future, and there were rumours that he wouldn't be in a seat after the summer break. Despite the talk, Perez had no interest in abandoning his Red Bull dreams and jumping ship to another team for the 2025 campaign.

"I had an opportunity, two opportunities, to change teams," he revealed in an interview with . "When I looked at it, I thought, I really love the challenge I have at Red Bull. It's a massive challenge being Max's teammate.

"It's a challenge that basically trains you for all of it. So I said, I want to spend my last part of my career at the top, at the very top, where the pressure, it's full-on. At the end of the day, when you go through a difficult period, there is a lot of talk. But ultimately, there is 90 per cent of the grid who would have loved to have my career.

"When you are a driver, you only think about the next race-the next challenge, the next category, the next contract. It's always about next, next, next. Sometimes it's good to step back out of it and remember how far you've gone. It's a very brutal sport."

Now, with six races remaining of the 2024 campaign, Perez is under pressure again. The six-time Grand Prix winner is in danger of losing his seat for next year as Red Bull continue to be reeled in by McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes.

Red Bull have two contenders to replace him, should his form fail to improve. Yuki Tsunoda remains a candidate following a strong campaign, but most likely Christian Horner will turn to Liam Lawson, who was called in to replace Daniel Ricciardo after the race in Singapore.