Red Bull's driving style contrast reveals hidden issues, says Pérez

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

Pérez believes Red Bull fix will benefit him more than Verstappen.

Sergio Pérez has suggested that he might gain more than teammate Max Verstappen from any fixes to the car issues slowing down Red Bull, the reigning Formula One champions. The Mexican driver revealed that the existing problems might be veiled by the contrasting driving styles of the two drivers.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Pérez noted that the problems affecting Red Bull might have been less noticeable due to Verstappen's ability to manage them. "It wasn't so obvious the issue with [Max's] driving style, where with my driving style it all became a lot more apparent probably since race number three of the season," he said.

Verstappen, a once-dominant triple champion, is currently facing a six-race losing streak. The Dutch driver finished only sixth in the last round's Italian Grand Prix, which was won by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. As the season progresses, Red Bull, holding an eight-point lead over McLaren in the Constructors' Championship, risks falling further behind their rivals in Baku.

In the Drivers' Championship, McLaren’s Lando Norris trails Verstappen by 62 points, while Pérez, currently seventh in the standings, hasn't seen a top-three finish in the last 11 rounds.

Addressing Verstappen's recent comments on Red Bull's performance, Pérez remarked that the team probably underestimated the severity of the car issues because Verstappen had been "coping well with them." He added, "The issues I was having they just got worse and worse and now Max seems to be finding similar issues."

Pérez remains optimistic about the potential improvements. "[Resolving the issue] is something that will help both drivers. It will help me even more, you know, because of the driving style I have," he said.

Red Bull’s chief engineer Paul Monaghan has echoed this sentiment, mentioning the car's upgraded floor. "We've licked our wounds, learned our lessons. Well, the proof in the pudding will obviously be on Sunday, but we have tried to bring changes to the car and make it better," he said on Friday.

As the Formula One season enters its crucial final phase, all eyes will be on Red Bull to see if these changes can indeed address the underlying issues and help both drivers close the performance gap with their rivals.

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