Sergio Perez makes drastic Red Bull demand in spite of Helmut Marko’s exit calls
Sergio Perez has claimed that he needs a stable car to succeed at Red Bull next season. He has faced plenty of criticism from Helmut Marko this week with the Austrian suggesting that he could benefit from a different working environment.
Checo started the 2023 season looking like a genuine title contender. Masterful victories on the streets of Jeddah and Baku thrust the 33-year-old into the spotlight as a potential challenger for Max Verstappen as fans geared up for a season of total Red Bull domination.
Unfortunately for Perez, this was where his season peaked. A disappointing performance from pole position in Miami kicked off a ten-race winning streak for Verstappen. Fast forward to the aftermath of a dismal Qatar Grand Prix and the Mexican is now 209 points behind his three-time world champion team-mate.
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When asked by Sky Sports what he needs to succeed at Red Bull next season, Perez responded: “I think a more consistent base throughout the season and having a car that doesn’t change so much throughout the year.
“That also contributes to being more consistent – I think that will be the key because that was what happened in the first few races. I think when we started developing the car, I felt that the car was drifting away from me.
“I had to keep finding the balance, making compromises here and there. We keep the further details internal to the team. It’s something we are all aware of and hopefully next year it can be a different story.”
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With just five races remaining, Perez finds himself under pressure from Lewis Hamilton in the battle for second place in the Drivers’ Championship. The seven-time champion’s first-lap crash means that the gap remains at 30 points ahead of the United States Grand Prix, but Checo’s achievement is still in serious jeopardy.
Marko voiced his concerns earlier this week, telling OE24: “You mustn’t forget, I brought him to the team back then. But this is simply Verstappen’s fate, he is suffering now. That was already the case with Gasly, after a weak performance at the Red Bull Ring, he was already lapped at the next race in Hungary.
“Seen this way, [Gerhard] Berger’s statement [about Perez] is the right one: He needs a change in climate and team. Now let’s see how the next two races go. But the team and he are aware that he is in a crisis.”
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