Sergio Perez yet again finds himself on the firing line as the race for the Constructors Cup intensifies. The veteran Mexican driver has been racing in F1 since 2011. However, despite his experience, the RBR racer has failed to leave an impact. Every season, he starts with fresh energy, and just when things start going his way, he hits an invisible blockade.
This has been the plot of his career throughout every season. Although some credit Max Verstappen for being seriously quick, others believe Checo’s RB20 is less competent than his teammate. However, the Red Bull engineer has shed light on the Perez conundrum, providing insight into the immense pressure on Checo.
Paul Monaghan’s Stern Assessment: ‘Max is Quicker than Checo’ Amid Perez’s Slump
Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez are miles apart on the leaderboard. While the Dutchman is the star of Red Bull, Checo plays a supporting role. However, having two good drivers is a must for winning the constructors’ championship. Furthermore, the RBR pair held the top two positions in 2023, but the dynamics were reversed in 2024. Although Verstappen remains in first place at the halfway point, Perez is outside the top five, trailing McLaren and Ferrari drivers. Furthermore, with increased competition from all sides, the energy drink-based team requires assistance from both drivers. As a result, Perez’s performance in the previous six races has raised serious concerns.
Despite the consistent adverse outcomes, the team’s chief engineer, Paul Monaghan, has defended the 34-year-old racer. As the fear of getting fired lingers on Checo, Monaghan feels it isn’t wholly his fault. During his Beyond the Grid podcast appearance, Monaghan claimed the Dutchman is slightly quicker than Perez. Further, he affirmed that although Checo might get upset with this statement, this is the reality. Moreover, the chief engineer gave a hypothetical example explaining that if a race has 20 corners, Verstappen will have an incremental edge over Checo, even if he is half a second quicker. Thus, the triple champion gains regular points while the 34-year-old teammate struggles to finish in the top spots.
However, he further articulated his opinion on being constantly compared to a teammate. Monaghan feels that if a driver consistently worries about what their teammate is doing, they will lose concentration, eventually resulting in poor performance. Thus, the RBR engineer highlighted the importance of a driver’s inner strength as it helps them sail through all the judgments and critiques.
Helmut Marko Explains Checo’s Exit Clause
Helmut Marko said that all F1 contracts have an exit clause. He also noted that it is either dependent on performance or includes an extra provision. However, the top RBR advisor stated that management will ultimately decide during the summer break.
He then openly discussed probable replacements. Furthermore, the experienced F1 executive believes the team will keep an eye on Liam Lawson, who is now testing at Silverstone. Yuki Tsunoda, on the other hand, has been playing admirably and might be immediately promoted to the RB20.