F1 pundit claims Sergio Perez ‘won’t be world champion’ as long as Max Verstappen is at Red Bull

Former Bridgestone head Kees van de Grint reckoned that Sergio Perez simply couldn't win against Max Verstappen at Red Bull.

F1 pundit claims Sergio Perez ‘won’t be world champion’ as long as Max Verstappen is at Red Bull

Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen (via IMAGO)

The former head of Bridgestone’s competition department Kees van de Grint revealed why Sergio ‘Checo’ Perez cannot be a world champion unless Max Verstappen leaves Red Bull. Perez has been part of Milton Keynes since 2021 but failed to match his Dutch teammate.

Grint reckoned that both drivers at Red Bull drive a car that is not the simplest car to race. However, he has no opinion on whether the car is bad or good, it’s just complicated. Kees van de Grint claimed Max Verstappen can handle the car more smoothly than his teammate Checo, and as long as the 26-year-old controls the RB20, Sergio Perez cannot win the world championship.

The RB is not the easiest car. I don't have an opinion on whether it is a good or bad car, but it is not the easiest car. I think it’s more about VER getting along better with the RB than Perez being a bad driver, but as long as VER is driving there, [PER] will not be world champion. That is also clear.
Kees van de Grint said, as reported by RacingNews365
YouTube video

Christian Horner, the Red Bull Team boss, knows exactly what he’s doing by renewing Perez’s contract, Grint reckoned. Besides the Mexican’s driving skills, Kees van de Grint insisted that Horner must have based this decision on other factors like team harmony and business aspects.

FS Video
You can say a lot about the team boss, Christian Horner, but he does know what he's doing when renewing PER’s contract. Besides PER's driving skills, Horner must have considered other factors behind the scenes, like team harmony and business aspects.
Kees van de Grint explained

Kees van de Grint claims drivers at the front have ‘better chance of escaping’ with clean air

Grint explained that it’s not easy to judge Checo’s performance when he starts at the back of the grid. Drivers at the front usually have an advantage in passing quickly through thin air, while those trailing behind struggle with turbulence, which affects their pace. The Dutch engineer highlighted Perez’s mistakes in Canada, which affected his performance, and admitted that any driver, whether it’s Sergio Perez or current dominator Max Verstappen, can make mistakes.

It's hard to judge PER's performance. In F1, drivers at the front have an advantage because they don't have to deal with dirty air, unlike those behind. When PER broke his wing in Canada, it was a mistake, but even top drivers like VER make mistakes.
Kees van de Grint added
Sergio Perez (via IMAGO)
Sergio Perez (via IMAGO)

Grint further discussed how some of the other driver’s also made mistakes and got out of the race. The former Bridgestone head claimed even though Perez made a small mistake he’s still a good driver.

Other drivers also had problems like spinning out. The point is, PER made a small mistake, but he's still a good driver.
Kees van de Grint stated

Ultimately, Kees van de Grint understood Perez’s potential to perform better and improve with every setback, showcasing some support for the Mexican driver. Red Bull fans would love to see Perez bounce back and score points for the team alongside Max Verstappen.

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