Sergio Perez has not been in a comfortable status in the Red Bull team since he stopped winning this season. His teammate’s unstoppable streak made Checo’s situation more difficult. Max Verstappen is winning like there are no drivers as great as him on the grid. On the contrary, the seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and the Spaniard Fernando Alonso are still fighting to get their first win this season. But how can they win if the current double-time champion does not cut them some slack?
Moreover, the Dutchman is on a ten-race winning streak. He has already won 12 races after 14 Grand Prix so far. The other two belong to Sergio Perez. However, Sergio Perez mentioned he is under a lot of pressure, like Max’s previous teammates in Red Bull. On top of that, the Red Bull advisor, Helmut Marko, has never been that kind to Checo.
Helmut Marko Believes Sergio Perez Has Lost His Focus And Wants Lando Norris As His Replacement
Recently, in an interview with Servus TV, Helmut Marko mentioned Checo is very inconsistent as he won two of the first four races and then lost his way. Moreover, the Red Bull advisor pointed out at the age of Sergio Perez, saying, they can start looking for younger replacements like Lando Norris. Helmut Marko sounded sad when he said Checo’s contract will expire in 2024, and Lando’s contract with McLaren will end in 2025. That is a problem because Red Bull has a keen interest in signing Lando Norris. Moreover, Marko mentioned that during his time in Torro Rosso, Red Bull had reached an agreement with Norris until his manager felt he could move to McLaren instead.
But Helmut Marko strongly believes that as per youth and speed goes, Lando Norris is ideal for the Red Bull setup. On the other hand, Marko added that Sergio Perez is above 30 and is already expecting his fourth child. According to Helmut Marko, that proves Checo has other interests as well. Hence, only time will tell what happens next with the contract extension of Sergio Perez. If Checo had solidified his place in the team after the first four races, well he has lost that edge, now, after losing a bit of his focus.
Max Verstappen’s Winning Streak Is Not Doing Checo Any Favor
Even last year, when Max Verstappen won 15 races, Checo only managed to win a couple. It seems like history is repeating itself. But from Max Verstappen’s point of view, it is just getting better every Grand Prix. He already broke Sebastian Vettel’s record for most consecutive race wins, as he has won ten in a row. Moreover, last season, Verstappen broke Vettel’s record for most wins in a season, which was 13.
Max won 15 last year, but it seems like he can end up winning twenty this year. On the other hand, Sergio Perez is looking to have the best season of his career. If he can win another race this year. But things will get tougher for Checo if his teammate keeps gaining more lead over the next races. Already, there are talks about a replacement for Checo, as Daniel Ricciardo is a viable option too for Red Bull.
