David Coulthard hits back at criticism over voicing Sergio Perez ‘facts’

David Coulthard has said his opinions on Sergio Perez being replaced at Red Bull were formed based on “facts”, revealing some of the vitriol that came his way.

After negotiations between Red Bull and Perez after a disappointing F1 2024 season, the Mexican driver won’t be in his seat for this season as he’s been replaced by Liam Lawson.

David Coulthard: I took heat from Mexico

With the rumour mill in full flow over the course of the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix weekends after it became clear talks between the two sides would be held after the season finale, Coulthard revealed how some of his opinions had landed him in hot water with Perez’s fans.

Speaking on the Formula For Success podcast before the confirmation of Perez’s departure, Coulthard said, “Checo [Perez] is a very good human being, but it’s painful to watch the resistance to the facts, and I can only assume it’s a management play.

“Julian Jakobi is his manager — Julian we know and respect for many years; [he’s an] intelligent, good manager. But his job is to make sure the money is there.

“So I can only imagine it’s about trying to negotiate the biggest payoff possible to get him to go of his own accord, rather than basically say, ‘Okay, we’re paying you whatever we’d agreed to pay you for next year, but we’re not giving you a race car.’ Which could happen, but it would be such a shame.”

Coulthard – who is also a long-time brand ambassador for Red Bull – had stated that he hoped negotiations wouldn’t come to that, because if it did, “I would lose a little bit of respect for Julian and Checo.

“At the end of the day, the data doesn’t lie. If there’s a contract, then of course, a contract should be honored by negotiation.

“But hopefully they can do that in an adult way, rather than, you know, you’ve hurt my feelings and I’m suing you.”

Speaking to PlanetF1.com in Abu Dhabi, Coulthard said, “Given the relationship they’ve had together, and the success they’ve had together – the wins he’s had – I would choose amicable in the face of inevitability rather than screaming and shouting.

“You might end up with a nation behind you going, you know, ‘nasty Red Bull’.

“But when you’ve been through emotional roller coasters together and you’ve been a good servant to the team… choose love, not war. Choose peace.

“It’s just too easy for people to fall out and slag each other off, and it could eventually fall on deaf ears because the world moves on.”

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Coulthard’s urging of Perez to come to the inevitable conclusion against him, something which had been urged by Red Bull team boss Christian Horner in Qatar, resulted in backlash against him.

“I voiced an opinion on this very show ahead of the end of the season,” the Scottish broadcaster said.

“I just felt it was a standoff between himself and his management.

“I took some heat from Mexico, all sorts of the usual vitriol, ‘What would you know? What have you ever achieved?’ and all that good stuff.

“But the fact is, I was merely basing an opinion on the facts.

“The facts are Checo, if it was a personality contest and one of the most liked drivers in the paddock contest, would still be in the seat. He’s a brilliant man.

“He has done a great job, and he has won lots of Grand Prix, and he can be incredibly proud of his performance, but, last season, he didn’t match Max and it cost the team valuable points in the Constructors’ Championship.

“So an agreement has been found where he will still be involved with the brand in some way, but clearly not behind the steering wheel of the Red Bull Racing car.”

Perez’s departure from the cockpit of the Red Bull has opened the door for young Kiwi racer Liam Lawson to step up into the role of Max Verstappen’s teammate.

Lawson has been urged by Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko to keep his expectations in check for his first year, and concentrate on finding his feet as a capable back-up for Verstappen as Red Bull targets another Constructors’ Championship win.

Perez, in his final year with the team, wasn’t able to do this, and Coulthard said Lawson’s fate is now in his own hands.

“That’s a big opportunity for Liam Lawson, and a big pressure,” he said.

“But, as I’ve said in the show before, pressure is when you feel you’re not in control. Right now, Liam will feel pretty confident. He’s had a good debut alongside Yuki [Tsunoda].

“Whether he carries that confidence into being able to match Max or not remains to be seen, but the steering wheel is very much in his hands.

“This has given a great opportunity for Isack Hadjar to move up alongside Yuki.

“Yuki was understandably disappointed that, having had a very strong season, he wasn’t given the chance at Red Bull Racing but I guess, ultimately for Red Bull, they asked the question of whether they think he’s a future world champion.

“Do they think he’s a Max-beater? As always, this isn’t an opinion, this is a fact. They’ve got all the data on him.

“On one hand, you could say, that if Yuki had better options outside of Racing Bulls, then he would have taken it. I think, in the end, this is a big opportunity for all these guys, and it’s going to be very interesting to see how they perform when they’re out on track.”

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