The pressure has been increasing on Sergio Perez as he continues to underperform compared to Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen massively. The Mexican faced the most amount of pressure a few races ago when he failed to qualify for Q3 for five consecutive Grand Prix weekends despite having the most competitive car on the current grid. As the 33-year-old’s struggles continue, F1 expert Johnny Herbert believes it is Verstappen who benefits the most. In a recent interview with OLBG, Herbert pointed out how Verstappen feels “happy” in making Perez feel “uncomfortable“.
While Perez continues to make headlines for all the wrong reasons, it seems that the same does not bother him. In a recent interview with crash.net, the Guadalajara-born driver said, “Couldn’t care less. I’ve been in Formula 1 for thirteen years and I’ve seen it all“.
However, he did admit during the interview that he has some concerns with his driving style that has resulted in him falling behind Verstappen. The staggering 125-point lead that Verstappen currently has over Perez is exactly the reason why Herbert believes that the Mexican should feel “worried” and “uncomfortable“.
Herbert provides a damning assessment of Perez’s situation at Red Bull
In a recent interview with OLBG (as quoted by gpblog.com), Johnny Herbert said, “It’s alarming for Perez. You don’t want to be that far away from your teammate for sure. If I was Perez, I’d be worried and very uncomfortable. Verstappen is very happy with the situation because he’s not under pressure or being challenged in any way“.
After stating the same, the 59-year-old explained how Perez’s current situation will put his future at Red Bull at risk. Herbert believes that when Red Bull’s rivals will become more competitive, the team will want someone who can deliver results more consistently than what the Mexican has done so far.
While Herbert has raised serious concerns about Perez’s current situation, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner does not seem too concerned. The British team principal has explained how the team is behind the 33-year-old in order to help him rediscover his form.
Christian Horner believes Sergio Perez needs “an arm around his shoulder“
Christian Horner believes that Red Bull needs to support Sergio Perez all the more if the former Racing Point driver is to rediscover his form. In a recent interaction with the media (as quoted by racingnews365.com), the 49-year-old stated that Perez needs “an arm around his shoulder” at the moment.
Red Bull has made it clear that they have no plans of replacing Perez until the end of the 2024 season when the Mexican’s contract comes to an end. Following that year, the team will evaluate their options before deciding which driver will get the second seat at the time for the 2025 season.
