Sergio Perez has confirmed his departure from Red Bull after four years with the team.

The Mexican has spoken out after a disastrous season in which he finished eighth in the Drivers' Championship and was partly responsible for Red Bull dropping to third in the team standings. Fellow Red Bull man Max Verstappen won the world title with almost three times as many points as his team-mate.

Red Bull have now parted ways with Perez who, in a lengthy statement posted to X, said: "I'm incredibly grateful for the past four years with Red Bull Racing and for the opportunity to race with such an amazing team.

"Driving for Red Bull has been an unforgettable experience, and I'll always cherish the success we achieved together. We broke records, reached remarkable milestones, and I've had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people along the way.

"A big thank you to every person in the team from management, engineers and mechanics; catering, hospitality, kitchen, marketing and communications, as well as everyone at Milton Keynes. I wish you all the best for the future.

"It's also been an honour to race alongside Max as a team-mate all these years and to share in our success. A special thank you to the fans around the world, and especially to the Mexican fans for your unwavering support every day. We'll meet again soon. And remember... never give up!"

Team principal Christian Horner offered his own words of respect for the 34-year-old, hailing him as an 'exceptional team player'.

Perez's exit paves the way for Liam Lawson to take up one of the most high-pressure positions in sport, as Verstappen's team-mate. The New Zealander, 22, has only raced in 11 Grands Prix for Red Bull's sister team, VCARB.

Lawson's team-mate in 2024, Yuki Tsunoda, was also in the frame for the Red Bull promotion but Horner and co have evidently been impressed by the potential shown on the other side of the VCARB garage.

Isack Hadjar, a French-Algerian 20-year-old who joined Red Bull's junior programme two years ago, is expected to take Lawson's place at VCARB.

Perez collected 285 points in 2023 to complete a Red Bull one-two in the Constructors' Championship, and he played an instrumental role in Verstappen's blockbuster world title win in 2021 by slowing down Lewis Hamilton in Abu Dhabi.

He signed a new deal in June which would have taken him until the end of next season. The contract reportedly included performance clauses allowing Red Bull to terminate the agreement in case they were not met.

It is understood that Perez took the decision to leave after a frustrating year, although Red Bull began looking at alternatives weeks ago.

The Guadalajara-born racer began his F1 career with Sauber in 2011 and spent a season with McLaren before beginning a successful eight-year stint with Force India, which later became known as Racing Point.

With Perez stranded at the end of 2020 and staring at the possibility of having no seat for the following season, Red Bull offered him a lifeline. Five of his six career Grand Prix wins came alongside Verstappen, including a Monaco triumph in 2022.

Perez will not be on the grid in 2025, and it remains to be seen whether his Red Bull departure spells the end of his F1 career.