Pérez under pressure as Red Bull's championship aspirations hit a snag
Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool
Pérez has scored just 15 points from the last six races, while Verstappen has 119.
SILVERSTONE, England -- Red Bull Racing faces mounting concerns over driver Sergio Pérez, whose recent performance has failed to meet expectations. At the British Grand Prix, Pérez once again missed out on scoring points, marking the third time in six races he has done so.
Team principal Christian Horner expressed the urgency of the situation, stressing that the current trajectory is "unsustainable" for Red Bull, particularly as they aim to solidify their lead in the constructors' standings alongside their other driver, championship frontrunner Max Verstappen.
In stark contrast, Verstappen has amassed 119 points over the last six races, while Pérez managed to secure only 15. Despite Red Bull's 71-point lead over Ferrari, Horner emphasized the critical need for Pérez to elevate his contribution. "He knows it's unsustainable to not be scoring points," Horner said. "We have to be scoring points in that car, and he knows that. He knows his role and his target. Nobody is more eager than Checo to get back and find his form again."
The pressure crescendos just as Pérez finds his place at risk despite having signed a new two-year contract with Red Bull earlier in the year. His position could become precarious if underperformance continues in the next two races that precede the F1 summer break.
"I'm aware of where I am, in terms of contract and that sort of thing," Pérez commented post-race, finishing 17th and two laps down. "I cannot let it be a distraction because I need to focus on the next two weekends, which are the priority, and work together with the team to get out of this difficult period."
Rumors are rife of potential changes, especially with an impending evaluation of reserve driver Liam Lawson. However, Horner dispelled such speculations. "The problem is you read too much into these things. No, in all seriousness, the Liam test, aero run, has been planned for a couple of months now. Of course, Checo, of course he's under pressure. That's normal in Formula One, and when you're underdelivering, that pressure only mounts."
The challenges Pérez faced were exemplified by a difficult weekend at Silverstone. He commenced the race from the pit lane following a mishap during a damp qualifying session. Red Bull’s strategic choice to switch his car to intermediates in anticipation of rain misfired when the expected downpour failed to materialize, leaving Pérez with worn wet weather tires and causing significant time loss.
"We took a gamble in the race," Horner explained. "He started on the hard tyre, he was making decent progress early on in the race. The rain started to arrive, he was P15 or 16 at the time, you roll the dice a little at that point as Ferrari did with [Charles] Leclerc. He went onto the inter. If the rain had picked up, he'd have looked a hero. It didn't. So you don't."
As the team navigates these challenges, all eyes will be on whether Pérez can reclaim his form and contribute significantly to Red Bull’s championship bid.
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