Sergio Perez has a lot to prove to save his seat at Red Bull Racing. He has been very inconsistent since the Austrian team started to dominate the grid again. It has been a Max Verstappen show since 2021. Albeit, the Milton Keynes team did not win the constructor title in 2021, the Dutch racer won his maiden Driver’s World Championship. Later, in 2022, the governing body introduced new rules and regulations that changed the dynamic between the top teams. Max Verstappen helped his team dethrone Mercedes and dominate the grid like never seen before.
The Dutchman went on to win 15 races in 2022, which was a new record. Later, last year, he broke his own record, winning 19 Grands Prix. On the other hand, Sergio Perez managed to win two in 2022, two in 2023, and so far no wins in 2024. Nonetheless, Red Bull extended his contract for two more years. Lately, though, Helmut Marko warned Checo of the next three races, where the team needs the driver to improve a lot.
Red Bull Advisor Gives Sergio Perez An Ultimatum
Recently, Red Bull Racing extended the contract of the Mexican driver for two more years. Later, Sergio Perez posted a message on Instagram, expressing his gratitude toward the team. But post-extension, he has had a couple of very poor outings in Monaco and Canada where he didn’t even qualify for the third round. Anyway, the team has been struggling because of kerb riding and other technical issues with their simulations. But the Austrian team believes they can start dominating again when the season turns to real and normal tracks. Lately, in an interview with oe24, Helmut Marko discussed the current situation of Checo’s contract. The Red Bull senior advisor mentioned that the reason why they extended his contract was to “Bring calm to our team.”
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However, the 81-year-old advisor mentioned that the plan did not really work out. Now, Marko says Sergio Perez and others will get to drive on “Real race tracks” in the next three races. Hence, the RBR advisor expects Checo to prove himself. This reaction of the advisor comes from a genuine place of tension as the constructor’s standing is getting really intense. McLaren and Ferrari are doing very well because their driver’s team are among the best in the grid right now. On the other hand, Red Bull, as usual, is solely depending on Max Verstappen. Hence, they are losing vital points because of Checo’s poor performance, especially in Montreal and Monaco.
Next Three Races Will Be Crucial For Checo
F1 is returning to classic tracks like in Barcelona, Silverstone, and Austria. So far, this season has proved that RB20 performs better in traditional circuits, which are smoother than tracks in Monaco and Canada. Hence, the 2024 Red Bull car must suit better on the tracks of Spain, England and their home race in Austria. Now, the question is whether Sergio Perez can prove his worth and support the team’s choice to extend his contract.
His best chance to prove himself, as Marko quite rightly puts it, is in the next three races. However, if Checo continues to perform poorly, the Austrian team will have to take some drastic steps. But with Adrian Newey moving to Ferrari in 2025, Red Bull already has their hands full of problems that they need to address.
Stay tuned to Sports News International for more such updates about your favourite F1 team.