Red Bull had phenomenal success in recent years with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. This duo saw the Austrian team get back their hegemony in F1 in 2022. Moreover, the duo was instrumental in shattering the dreams of Lewis Hamilton in the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Mercedes star could have won his eighth title by now. But the duo of the Dutch and the Mexican driver didn’t let the Brit get there. The Dutch driver won the title in 2021 with a great assist from Checo in Abu Dhabi. Max had said that Checo was great in the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP.
Things looked great between the Red Bull duo until the team started to dominate the grid. Since the Austrian team dominated the grid in 2022, it has been clear who is the superior driver. Moreover, Checo helped Red Bull get their first-ever one-two finish at the end of the last F1 season. He narrowly beat Lewis Hamilton to finish second. But lately, Christian Horner revealed what led Sergio Perez to receive a mental blow against his teammate.
Red Bull Boss Revealed What Changed The 2023 Season For Sergio Perez
Recently, in an interview with Motorsport.com, Christian Horner mentioned that Checo was pretty strong in the first four races. But it was the Miami Grand Prix loss that gave a psychological blow to the Mexican driver, feels the boss. That race saw Checo losing from pole position to his teammate. Max Verstappen started that race from P9. Moreover, the Dutchman made steady progress throughout that race. On the other hand, Sergio Perez struggled with building a gap at the front. The tire strategy of Red Bull didn’t work for Checo but it did for Max. In the end, Max bagged home a crucial win.
📰: Red Bull's Christian Horner revealed that Sergio Perez is making extra efforts to turn his season around. Perez spent three days in the simulator last week, a first for him. This training has helped him address issues from previous races, and Horner expressed support for… pic.twitter.com/GSCGjFB3NU
— F1 Naija (@f1_naija) October 19, 2023
📰: Red Bull’s Christian Horner warns Sergio Perez of potential competition for his F1 seat in 2024, emphasizing the need for improved Saturday performances. Horner acknowledges Perez’s mental strength but highlights the importance of narrowing the qualifying gap to Max… pic.twitter.com/M958S0Js3U
— F1 Naija (@f1_naija) January 2, 2024
Losing a race that way was a big blow to Sergio Perez mentally. That’s what Horner is referring to. Moreover, Horner mentioned Checo is trying to improve and making efforts to turn things around. Albeit Red Bull enjoyed a one-two finish last year, the gap was huge. Against the Dutchman’s mammoth 575 points, Sergio Perez only made 285 points. After starting the season so well, as he won two of the first four races, it was a shame to finish with such a huge gap.
Verstappen Has Been Too Strong For Checo
Sergio Perez has been trying his best to beat Max Verstappen in the past two years. But the Dutch driver has been too hard to beat. On the other hand, Sergio Perez himself has not been able to win more than two races in a season. Adding to that, he faced several problems in the Q3 sessions last year. Checo had several DNFs in 2023.
On top of that, the rumor that Red Bull is looking for Checo’s replacement didn’t sit well with the Mexican driver. Sergio Perez revealed earlier that he was in a state of depression and low confidence. Anyhow, later, he hired a mental coach that helped him boost his self-confidence.
