Mika Hakinen asks Red Bull to sign a driver ‘capable of challenging’ Max Verstappen

Sergio Perez currently lags 110 points behind Max Verstappen in the standings.

Sergio Perez (Left, credits: Essentially Sports), Mika Hakkinen (Middle, credits: Monaco Tribune) and Max Verstappen (Right, credits: The Guardian)

With Sergio Perez struggling to keep up with his teammate Max Verstappen at Red Bull, former Formula 1 champion Mika Hakkinen has voiced concerns about the team’s reliance on Verstappen’s performance. The Finnish legend believes that having a competitive teammate challenging the lead driver is essential for both personal growth and team success.

Sergio Perez‘s performance has taken a nosedive after initially challenging Max Verstappen for the championship. He now stands far behind Verstappen, with only two wins compared to the Dutchman’s nine this season. The Mexican has failed to reach Q3 in the last six races before the Hungarian GP, and the two-time champ believes this could mean a threat to the Austrian team in the future.

“You simply cannot put all the weight of the team on one driver, in this case, Max,” Mika Hakkinen emphasized during an exclusive interview with F1 Magazine. He believes that Verstappen also needs to be challenged by competition within the team to stay motivated and maintain peak performance.

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Hakkinen believes “something has to change there [at Red Bull].” The Finn feels that every driver needs a teammate who challenges them to improve. He added, “Not only for yourself but also for the team. Formula 1 is a sport where you as a team must have the drive to improve in all aspects to be successful.”

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McLaren team pairing of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri (Credits: Racing News 365)

Despite Max Verstappen’s current peak form and Red Bull’s substantial lead, Hakkinen points out that the team must not rely solely on one driver. While Perez’s struggles may not currently impact the constructor title chances, the situation could change if the competition gets closer, making the need for a competitive teammate more crucial.

“Furthermore,” Hakkinen underlines, “there are two drivers, two cars, two teams. The engineers on both sides of the garage also need to be challenged, stay motivated and occasionally taste success.” While Red Bull has won every race so far, Perez’s side of the garage has not celebrated a win since Baku, and Hakinen feels that “is only possible through healthy competition within the team.”

? : Mika Hakkinen believes the role of Sergio Perez in Verstappen’s Azerbaijan victory should not be underplayed.The Finn thinks Perez’s acceptance of the Red Bull team’s strategy, combined with a longer pit-stop, enabled his team-mate to extend his advantage.#F1 #CanadianGP pic.twitter.com/pmUlBlawK7
— F1 Naija (@f1_naija) June 14, 2022

Drawing from his experience at McLaren, Hakkinen compares the situation and praises the driver pairing of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. He hails them as a “golden combination,” emphasizing their talent, hunger, and ability to challenge each other, which creates a winning formula for success in F1.

Perez currently sits 110 points adrift of Verstappen and is rumored f being replaced by Daniel Ricciardo in the future. As the season approaches its mid-way point, it remains to be seen what Perez has in his hands and if he can change the narrative at this weekend’s Belgian GP.