Sergio Perez’s Recent Run Simply Boiled Down To: “He Is Mentally a Broken Man”

Sergio Perez has been subjected to immense criticism over the last couple of years for the way his level of performance has often dropped drastically after a decent start to a Formula 1 season. And Red Bull’s latest decision to continue with the Mexican driver for the rest of the 2024 season has only resulted in the 34-year-old receiving more criticism.

Ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix in June, Perez got a two-year extension with Red Bull in the form of a 1+1 year deal. However, since then, Perez’s contribution has been poor, to say the least.

He has managed to score just 24 points in the last six races. What makes it worse for Red Bull is that he has damaged his car multiple times, making it difficult for the team to operate in the cost-cap era.

The latest to criticize Perez’s mental psyche and his capabilities is former F1 driver Johnny Herbert. Speaking about Perez’s performance in Belgium, the Briton said as per a report on RacingNews365,

“Perez was again the worst performing driver of the weekend. He went back from the first row and that’s not what teams expect from their drivers. It is terrible to say, but it is as if he is damaged at the moment. He is a broken man mentally“.

Speaking of who he thinks should replace Perez at Red Bull, Hebert picked Yuki Tsunoda over Daniel Ricciardo. Herbert believes that the Aussie driver has not done enough to earn his seat alongside Max Verstappen. However, not everyone is as critical of Perez despite the Mexican’s continued struggles.

Nico Rosberg shows support for Perez amidst rising criticism

As criticism mounts from fans and pundits alike, former F1 champion Rosberg has come to Pérez’s defense, expressing sympathy for the Mexican driver. The German former driver emphasizes that the sport is incredibly demanding, and even the best can experience difficult phases.

“It’s really really hard,” says Rosberg. “You start to doubt yourself, especially when your teammate is one of the best ever. And then everyone keeps asking if you’re going to lose your job. It’s a lot of pressure.”

While Perez may have been given the opportunity for the rest of the 2024 season, Red Bull has made it clear that they will reevaluate the team’s driver pairing for the 2025 campaign.