Sergio Perez was given a lifeline by Red Bull Racing back in 2020 after being thrown to the sidelines by Racing Point as they chose Sebastian Vettel over him. Sergio has given Red Bull some phenomenal performances, notably the defense against Lewis in Abu Dhabi in 2021. But his performance this season fell flat; he could get into Q3 for five straight games.
The performance drop of the Mexican is very evident, as his current teammate is Red Bull prodigy Max Verstappen. He is a two-time world champion and is on track to get his third title. When Max was asked to rate Sergio’s performance during the 2023 season, he refused and avoided making any comments.
Red Bull breaks McLaren’s legendary record of 11 consecutive wins
Max Verstappen took P1 in Hungary last Sunday, making it Red Bull’s 12th win in a row. He and Red Bull broke McLaren’s record of 11 straight F1 victories, set by Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna back in 1988.
Max Verstappen’s win in Hungary was his 44th career win in Formula 1. The Dutchman has been extensively dominating the sport since the new regulation change in 2021. He is currently on a 7-game winning streak this season. Even though Sergio and Max as a duo are not as strong as Alan and Ayrton this season, they still managed to take that record away From them. “Mad Max” was hugely responsible for this.
Fans think this was the reason why Lando Norris broke Max’s trophy during the podium celebration after the race. Obviously, it’s just a joke, but one can’t ignore the sheer coincidence.
Verstappen refuses to rate teammate Perez
Hungary marked the end of Sergio Perez’s performance drought. The Mexican placed himself in P9 in qualifying. In the race, Perez in the Eny earned a podium with a P3 finish after a lot of overtakes, including overtaking the 7-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who was the pole sitter on Saturday, and Oscar Piastri in the McLaren. This weekend has sure played its part in improving his season, but as a whole, his performance this season is still very average if compared to that of his teammate Max Verstappen.
When Max Verstappen was asked to rate Sergio’s 2023 season in a press conference after the Hungary race, he had this to say, “I don’t like to give out numbers because you never do justice to it – I hate it. We just need to keep on working. Sometimes you have a few tough moments where you make mistakes, you learn from them, you become a better driver and you move on. Some things are also out of your control.”
It’s impressive how the Redbull duo has maintained their composure and professionalism in front of the media. Their chemistry has always been noticeable and admirable. However, the pressure on Sergio has intensified since the announcement of Daniel Riccardo’s signing for the Alpha Tauri seat, replacing Nyck De Vries.
Do let us know your thoughts on Sergio Perez’s performance this season in the comments section down below.
