Sergio Perez hints Red Bull upgrades ‘suit’ Max Verstappen more than him

Sergio Perez dismissed claims about Red Bull developing the car around Max Verstappen.

Sergio Perez hints Red Bull upgrades ‘suit’ Max Verstappen more than him

Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen (image via IMAGO)

Sergio Perez has had an underwhelming 2023 F1 season so far. The Mexican driver has failed to keep up with Max Verstappen at Red Bull. Checo has only won two races this season compared to the Dutchman’s stellar twelve victories. Now, Perez has admitted that Milton Keynes might be tailoring car upgrades to cater to Verstappen.

The Mexican driver was asked if the mighty RB-19 was designed around Max Verstappen. Checo insisted that Milton Keynes did not develop the car with the Dutchman as the focal point. However, Sergio Perez hinted that the upgrades brought by Red Bull over the course of the 2023 season have so far better suited his teammate.

Perez told PitDebrief, “No! I wouldn’t say that the car is designed around Max. It’s just that sometimes like you see with other teams when upgrades are brought. You will see that it suits one driver more than the other.” This claim can justify the drop in performance of the 33-year-old after winning two of the first four races this season. Although, Sergio Perez had a disappointing streak of Q1 knockouts earlier this year as well.

Also Read: Sergio Perez claims he has moved on from Helmut Marko’s XENOPHOBIC comments after personal apology

Sergio Perez needs to start performing for Red Bull

Sergio Perez
Sergio Perez (image via News18)

The 33-year-old was signed by Red Bull at the end of 2020 to replace Alex Albon. The Mexican driver managed to live up to expectations in the first two seasons at Milton Keynes. However, Perez has fallen far behind Max Verstappen this year with a gap of 145 points separating the two drivers. Certainly, a massive deficit for a top driver.

Sergio Perez is contracted to the Austrian team till 2024. However, rumors have already begun surfacing regarding his future with Red Bull. The 33-year-old’s seat at Milton Keynes is reckoned to be in danger if the Mexican driver fails to improve his results, As such, Checo must step up his performance in the remaining rounds of this season.

Sergio Perez will be facing immense pressure heading into the Singapore GP. The Mexican driver would be aiming to win the race in a bid to end his teammate’s historic winning streak. Moreover, a race victory would prove Perez’s worth to Red Bull once again. Although, it remains to be seen how Checo performs at the Maina Bay Circuit.

In case you missed it: