Sergio Perez has not had the best of starts to the 2023 season. To make things worse, his teammate Max Verstappen has been in a class of his own. However, Helmut Marko believes that Perez not performing at his best is a ‘luxury problem’ because, at the end of the day, he is doing what Red Bull expects him to do.
Helmut Marko, the chief advisor for Red Bull, has stated that the main goal for Perez at the moment is to help Red Bull secure the constructor’s championship. A consistent haul of points and a race win here and there would be enough for Perez to achieve the goals that Red Bull has set for him.
Tough weekend. We couldn’t find the pace in both qualifying and the race. We’re going to work extremely hard to turn this around. We know we can do it, and we’ll come back very strong.
Congratulations to Max on helping today @redbullracing to reach the 100th win
Duro fin de… pic.twitter.com/DTddQ7nTdi
— Sergio Pérez (@SChecoPerez) June 18, 2023
However, with the sudden resurgence of Mercedes and even Aston Martin, it might not be that easy for Perez to achieve his goals. Even though Red Bull is way ahead of Mercedes or Aston in the Constructor’s championship, if Perez continues with his mid-table performances, the teams below would start catching up to them soon.
Red Bull does not compare Sergio Perez with Max Verstappen
F1 drivers are often compared to their teammates as an assessment of their skill level because both of them use the same machinery. In that aspect, Sergio Perez has been no match for Verstappen.
However, Red Bull does not think like that. Helmut Marko made it very clear that according to them, no one can compare to Verstappen. Therefore, the main question is, who is the next best driver? And as long as Perez can do what Red Bull expects him to do, his seat is safe.
🗣️ | Helmut Marko on Sergio Perez
“As for Perez, soberly, he’s done the job we expect him to do. He should help secure victory in the Constructors’ Championship and the current standings prove him right. He has also shown that he can win races when he is at his best.” pic.twitter.com/8Jf2Huomq6
— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) June 23, 2023
Marko said, “We also take luxury issues seriously. As for Pérez, he has soberly done the job we expect him to do.” He continued, “He should help secure victory in the constructors’ championship and the current standings prove him right.”
According to Marko, as of now, Perez is doing what Red Bull expects him to do. He is currently P2 in the driver’s championship and if he can regain his form back, the Milton Keynes outfit would be preparing to etch their name on the championship trophy.
Perez has bigger personal goals
This is not the first time Red Bull has made it crystal clear that Perez’s seat is not at risk. Marko had previously told F1 Insider that Perez is not in jeopardy.
This is a huge blow to drivers like Daniel Ricciardo who are waiting on the sidelines for an opportunity to get back to the grid. It is also a huge blow to young drivers like Liam Lawson and Ayumu Iwasa, who are waiting for their opportunity in F1.
🗣️ | Helmut Marko to F1-Insider
“It’s all nonsense. Sergio’s place has never been in jeopardy and will never be in jeopardy. It is an important element in achieving the goals we have set for this year.
We want to finish 1st&2nd in the WDC and become WCC as quickly as possible.” pic.twitter.com/5LXcYb3HGd
— RBR News 🇳🇱🇲🇽 (@redbulletin) June 9, 2023
But for Red Bull, avoiding the tension between teammates would be the best thing to do right now. If things start to get ultra-competitive between Perez and Verstappen, it can be a problem for the team.
Perez has made it very clear that despite his poor run of form, he still has his eyes set on the Driver’s championship. Even though it may seem impossible at the moment, Perez still believes that he has got everything that is needed to win the title. However, if he wants to do that, he will have to up his game sooner rather than later.
