The Mexican Sergio Perez has committed to driving alongside Max Verstappen for Red Bull next year.
Red Bull said Perez had “initially signed a one-year deal”.
“Alex is a valued member of the team and we thought long and hard about this decision,” said team principal Christian Horner.
“After taking the time to evaluate all the relevant data and performance, we decided that Sergio is the right driver to win Max as a partner for 2021.
“Alex remains an important part of our team as a test and reserve rider with a focus on development for 2022 and we would like to thank him for his hard work and contribution.”
Red Bull decided that Albon hadn’t played hard enough in his 18 months with the team to warrant continuing on a racing seat.
And Horner said it was “impossible to ignore Sergio’s performance at Racing Point, especially in the second half of the season”.
He added that Albon was still a potential contender for a racing seat in 2022.
It’s Perez’s first chance in a real front-running car in a ten-year Formula 1 career.
Perez said he was “incredibly grateful for the opportunity”.
He added: “The chance to race for a championship team is something I’ve been hoping for since joining F1 and it will be a proud moment to get on the grid alongside Max in Red Bull colors.
“You can be sure that next season I will focus on that. The team has the same winning mentality as me and I know that I am here to help the team fight for another title. “
Horner said it would have been an “injustice” if Perez had no place in F1 next year after such an impressive 2020, but added that the driver was “realistic” about what to expect against Verstappen.
“He knows the quality of Max,” said Horner. “He’s a seasoned racing driver now. He’s got a lot of experience. He knows what he’s up against and the quality of Max, who has been in immense shape over the past few years. I don’t think he’s underestimating this challenge.” any shape or form, but he is absolutely delighted to have the opportunity and prove himself. ”
Perez was in danger of losing his seat in the sport after Racing Point decided to sign four-time master Sebastian Vettel From 2021 a three-year contract with partner Lance Stroll, son of the team owner Lawrence Stroll.
The Red Bull seat provided him with a lifeline that many will find justified.
Perez missed two races in the summer after contracting the coronavirus, but still finished fourth in the drivers’ standings behind Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas and Verstappen.
His victory in Bahrain came after a stellar drive, the last being on the first lap after being hit by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, but battling his way back through the field before benefiting from problems affecting George Russell’s Mercedes replaced Hamilton and Bottas.
He also finished second in the rain-hit Turkish Grand Prix in November.
Perez made his F1 debut for Sauber in 2011 and finished second for the team at the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix. His accomplishments there earned him a spot at McLaren in 2013, but the team began a competitive decline and he was dropped after a year, in part due to a political battle between chairman Ron Dennis and chief executive Martin Whitmarsh.
Perez joined what was then Force India in 2014 and has stayed there ever since. He was instrumental in accelerating the administrative process that ousted former owner Vijay Mallya and allowed Stroll to buy the team.
Despite having raced for midfield teams throughout his career, Perez has achieved a podium in six of his nine seasons in F1.
Red Bull gave Albon every opportunity to justify keeping him on the field but the team wasn’t convinced.
He was overqualified by Verstappen at every race in 2020 and was 0.523 seconds slower on average per lap.
While Verstappen had two wins and nine additional podiums in 17 races, Albon’s best results were two third places at the Grand Prix of Tuscany and Bahrain.
He also spun as he battled for strong placements in Emilia Romagna and the Turkish races.
