Sergio Perez’s two-year contract extension at Red Bull became official during the Canadian GP weekend, but his form on track took a turn for the worse. Perez failed to finish in the top five since Miami and crashed in both Monaco and Montreal. Moreover, he garnered just 11 points from the recently concluded triple-header. For Red Bull – a team fighting for the Constructors’ Championship – it is a disastrous haul.
However, Perez’s teammate Max Verstappen came out to defend him, pointing out the reason behind his inconsistency.
“When as a team you are struggling in many weekends, it is difficult as a driver to be consistent”, Verstappen told Telegraaf. “It’s not fair to say it’s all his fault. It has also been very challenging for me recently to get the best out of the car.”
️ | Max on the harsh criticism of Checo’s performance
“When as a team you are struggling on many weekends, it is difficult as a driver to be consistent. So it’s not fair to say it’s all his fault. It has also been very challenging for me recently to get the best out of the… pic.twitter.com/Zp28ScB71F
— RBR News (@redbulletin) July 18, 2024
Verstappen has highlighted how difficult it has been for him to drive at his best because of the RB20, several times this season. Reportedly, even Adrian Newey was not happy with certain elements of its design. Yet, his advice was ignored and Red Bull went ahead with what Pierre Wache thought was right.
In the development race, Red Bull is lagging behind McLaren and Mercedes. Because of the added mechanical woes, Perez is also finding it tough to get out of his slump. However, the 34-year-old has not lost hope and expects to turn his fortunes around at this weekend’s Hungarian GP.
“Things can change very quickly” – Perez
Red Bull is expected to bring an upgrade to Hungary, which should help Perez approach the race with a fresh mindset. His team is concerned, but adamant that they are doing everything possible to be of help.
Christian Horner admitted that Perez has to step up soon, which will be both in his and the team’s best interest. Perez agreed with the Red Bull boss, but is hopeful that there will be a turnaround soon.
“We are all fully focused on the track. And, at the end of the day, we know that this is a long season. There are a lot of races ahead. Things can change very quickly, so I’m fully focused”
Perez felt that one good result could change the momentum for him. Regardless, to save his future with the Milton-Keynes-based outfit, Perez has to perform to his team’s satisfaction in the upcoming two races in particular.
