Sergio Perez keeps hitting rock bottom despite wearing Red Bul’s life jacket. The Mexican racer has been severely slumped since his last podium in April. Perez has scored the least points among the top four teams despite having an almost identical car to Max Verstappen. This extreme dichotomy has attracted heavy criticism as the demand to replace Checo is high.
From Red Bull stakeholders to RBR fans, everyone wants to see a new face in place of the Mexican racer. Thus, when the Milton Keynes-based management scheduled a meeting during summer break, Checo’s RBR exit seemed certain. Surprisingly, the team still gave him a chance for the remainder of the 2024 season. However, his struggle continued, leaving the team in the abundance of sorrow as McLaren jumped ahead in the Constructors Standings. Therefore, after a string of low performances, the FIA steward feels it is time for Red Bull to pull the plug on Checo’s stint.
Could Mexican GP Be the Last Home Race For Checo In Red Bull?
During a recent interaction with Genting Casino, Johnny Herbert expressed concerns about Red Bull’s current position in the Constructors’ Championship, suggesting that the team could lose second place due to their reliance on just one driver, Max Verstappen. While Sergio Perez contributes, his performance has not been strong enough to secure Red Bull’s standing. The steward believes that Red Bull should consider replacing Perez to boost their chances of holding onto second place.
Moreover, he speculates that Red Bull might make this decision soon, possibly after Perez’s home race in Mexico. Herbert notes that the timing of such a move is crucial, as waiting too long could jeopardize their Constructors’ position. He feels the change should have been made earlier and suggests Brazil might be the moment for Red Bull to act, especially if they are serious about securing their standing.
When asked about a potential Checo replacement, Herbert believes Yuki Tsunoda is the ideal candidate to replace Perez at Red Bull. He praised Tsunoda’s performance this season, highlighting his consistency as a key strength. While acknowledging that going up against Max Verstappen would be a tough challenge, Herbert feels that Tsunoda has shown enough consistency to perform well in the team. Although Tsunoda may not match Verstappen’s speed, Herbert is confident that the Japanese driver would be competitive and not far off the reigning champion’s pace.
Sergio Perez Highlights Upgrade Disparity Between The Two RB20s
After Sunday’s race, Sergio Perez revealed a notable performance gap between his RB20 and that of his teammate, Max Verstappen. Perez revealed that he wasn’t equipped with the same upgraded package Verstappen had, which could have contributed to his struggles throughout the weekend.
Perez acknowledged that the weekend didn’t unfold as expected, with little coming together despite some progress with the car’s setup. However, even with these improvements, the overall pace remained unsatisfactory. He indicated that this disparity in performance could be attributed to missing updates, including the floor edge and engine cover modifications, which Verstappen was running.
Perez expressed uncertainty when asked about receiving these upgrades in time for his home race at the Mexico City Grand Prix. Red Bull’s supply of parts was tight, and with the team still gathering data on the new specifications, Perez might need to wait longer before benefiting from the upgraded package. In the meantime, he emphasized his focus on delivering the best performance possible despite the limitations.