When Formula One decides to take its annual pitstop from a hectic season, one would expect there to be a hiatus on the excitement that racing brings. However, this summer break has proven that there is no rest for those who reach speeds of 210km/ph as Formula One’s “silly season” is back in full swing.

For Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, it appeared that before the summer break his career was hanging on by a very thin thread. After being outqualified by sister-team RB Racing on numerous occasions, this season has been one to forget for Perez. Most recently, his stint in Spa held out hope for fans of the Mexican driver after he took P2 in qualifying, but a tumultuous race saw Perez finish in 8th and later in 7th after Mercedes’ George Russell was disqualified. Rumours circulating Perez’s future have been the talks of the paddock recently, especially amongst members of the Red Bull outfit, including Helmut Marko, who stated in an interview with Sky Germany: “Sergio had the opportunity to take a good result from second place. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.”

After the Belgian Grand Prix, Red Bull were said to have held a meeting to discuss as to whether Perez would stay at the team after the summer break, considering the fact that the driver is in breach of a performance clause in his contract, which states that if he falls below 100 points of teammate Max Verstappen the team would be able to terminate his contract. Perez (7th) is currently 146 points behind Verstappen (1st), but after the meeting was held, Red Bull’s Team Principal Christian Horner stated: “Checo remains a Red Bull Racing driver despite recent speculation and we look forward to seeing him perform at tracks he has previously excelled at after the summer break.”

Whilst the team have shut down any speculation, it is not to say that Perez’s seat is safe. RB drivers Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo are likely contenders to join the team should Perez be shown the door, and reserve driver Liam Lawson – who made his short but sweet F1 debut last year – is also a strong option. If anything, Perez has shown that he is not up to being in the position that he is in. Although Red Bull may not have the fastest car on the grid currently, Verstappen’s drive proves that this year, it is not about the car, but rather the quality of the driver. However, as McLaren has climbed its way from the mid-field to a Constructors’ Championship contender, the pressure to stay on top evidently lies heavily on Verstappen’s shoulders. Should Red Bull decide to pick themselves up again, I would hope that would start by giving Perez a generous severance pay.

In other news, Carlos Sainz started his summer break by announcing a greatly anticipated team signing. In an Instagram post the Ferrari driver wrote: “I’m very happy to announce I’ll be joining Williams Racing next season!” The announcement comes after Lewis Hamilton made headlines in February with a career swap to Ferrari after 11 years with Mercedes. Leaving the Spaniard without a seat for next year, Sainz’s move to Williams was a move that many did not expect. It goes without saying that going from Ferrari to Williams can only be described as a Constructors’ fall from grace.

Although Ferrari have proved that their strategy is in need of some serious attention, and reliability issues are damaging to the team, it is unfortunate to see a talent such as Sainz not being given a chance at Mercedes or Red Bull. Given reports that Williams’ Team Principal, James Vowles often had long conversations in Sainz’s hotel room- it seems that the team is keen to have a strong team ahead of next year’s new regulations. Whilst it’s unknown what any team has in store for next year, some may be hopeful that Vowles’ tenacity towards Sainz is a strategic move that could pay off.

And as for that empty Mercedes seat? Only time will tell. It has been confirmed that in Sainz’s Williams contract he has been provided with a release clause should he receive an offer from Mercedes or Red Bull, however that may not be possible at all if Perez keeps his seat. For Mercedes, there are many options.  with the most desirable seat remaining for next year.

Currently, it is rising Kimi Antonelli who is likely to join George Russell. Seen as the next best thing for F1, Antonelli is proving his talent in the lower ranks of racing. With regulations set to change so that drivers can acquire a super license at 17 instead of 18, it appears that Wolff is doing everything within his power to acquire Antonelli.

With the summer break drawing to a close, a race in Zandvoort is likely to bring a new set of headlines and career changes to F1. For now, the drivers can rest easy on their yachts before what I believe will be a very exciting half to an excellent F1 season.

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