On December 18, Red Bull announced its split from Sergio Perez, the Mexican driver who had been Max Verstappen’s teammate for four years. The reaction on social networks was immediate. The result? A loss of followers in just a few days from the team’s official profiles: Instagram -440,000; TikTok -100,000; X -50,000.
400,000 fewer followers in 3 days. This was observed by Davide Reinato, Digital Marketing Manager and Motorsport expert, on his LinkedIn profile.
By analyzing the data on Not Just Analytics, Reinato tracked the impact of the separation between Sergio Perez and the Red Bull Racing Team.
“What’s happening on social media is emblematic,” noted Reinato. “On Instagram alone, nearly 400,000 followers were lost in three days, and the negative sentiment shows no signs of easing.”
As can be seen in the graph below, on December 17, @RedBullRacing’s Instagram followers were 13,227,798, while now they are 12,784,072, with a loss that exceeds 443,000.
“Checo’s fans,” continued Reinato, “especially in South America, have decided to make their voices heard in the most direct and symbolic way they have: by unfollowing the team’s social media channels. This reaction – also led by several fan groups organizing to mobilize other supporters – represents a strong sign of dissent. It’s not just a matter of vanity metrics, but a clear message that impacts the brand’s reputation and perception.”
NOT ONLY SOCIAL
“For the marketing team in Milton Keynes,” added Reinato, “this is a complex challenge: on one hand, they must deal with a negative sentiment and an unprecedented loss of followers. On the other, the implications will obviously extend well beyond social media. Perez, in fact, is not just a driver for Mexicans, but a symbol of redemption. He’s a key figure in the South American market, with over 60% of Red Bull merchandise sold in Mexico, as Dr. Marko recently confirmed.”
At this point, the Digital Marketing Manager and Motorsport expert raises a question about how all this will impact Red Bull’s sales, particularly in Mexico. “Perez’s popularity had solidified the bond between the brand and millions of consumers in the region, making him a true ambassador not just for the team, but also for its sponsors and the energy drink itself. Now, with an audience that feels betrayed, the risk is that this will translate into a tangible loss elsewhere.”
After the question, Reinato also guides us toward a natural reflection to try to understand what might have happened if the team’s management had taken a different direction. “Imagine a scenario,” Reinato emphasizes, “where Perez had the opportunity to say goodbye to his audience in style, with transparent and engaging communication, giving fans time to process his departure. The emotional impact would likely have been less intense, and the goodbye would have turned into an opportunity to strengthen the bond with the audience, rather than erode it. Fans’ emotions are a powerful but fragile asset, and this situation reminds us how essential it is to manage every transition with the same care and strategy as a race.”
In addition to the lost followers on Instagram, we checked what happened on TikTok and X. The loss of followers was also evident here: -100,000 on the Chinese platform and -50,000 on Elon Musk’s social network.
Over 50K followers lost on X in just a few days.
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