Helmut Marko bashes Sergio Perez pay cut rumors, claims ‘it is completely made up’

Helmut Marko, the Red Bull team adviser, has made it known that the rumors circling Sergio Perez receiving a pay cut from the team are totally false. It was reported that there is a contract close that would have allowed Red Bull to reduce his remuneration based on his huge points gap with teammate Max Verstappen.

Marko has admitted that there will be no pay cuts for Perez despite his up-and-down form during the ongoing 2023 Formula 1 season. Perez had a rough patch during the first leg of the campaign, because of which, he has fallen massively behind his teammate, Max Verstappen, in the Drivers Championship. Because of this, there were rumors making the rounds of the Mexican driver getting smacked with a pay cut.

However, Helmut Marko put all the rumors to bed by saying, “I don’t know where it came from either. It’s completely made up from scratch. The contracts are settled in a precise way. There will be no pay cut. I can only say it over and over again: We are top of the drivers’ championship with both drivers and we are clearly top of the team standings.”

“As for Perez: he was in a bit of a slump, but he’s raised the bar in the last two races. Verstappen can’t be beaten right now. Not by Perez, not by any other driver. ” The 80-year-old veteran of the sport has made it clear that Perez is in the clear as far the rumors regarding his pay cut are concerned.

Discover: WATCH: Lewis Hamilton enjoys F1 summer break teaching Roscoe to share his strawberries

Sergio Perez needs to step up his game at Red Bull

While Helmut Marko has dismissed rumors of Sergio Perez getting a pay cut because of his up-and-down performances in 2023, the latter needs to significantly up his game at the pinnacle of motor racing. The first half of the ongoing campaign was average at best for him, and he seriously needs to hit the ground running straightaway from Zandvoort onwards.

Regarding the driver’s standings, the 34-year-old is currently second, but his gap to Max Verstappen is huge. The Dutchman has so far managed 314 points, whereas Perez is stuck on only 189 in the same number of 2023 outings. Moreover, he has got the lights of Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton in hot pursuit.

The ongoing summer break was much needed from the point of view of Sergio Perez, and considering that there are still several races left in the 2023 F1 season, several eyes are going to be on his exploits during the second leg. He has got the machinery underneath him to get brilliant results, and from Zandvoort onwards, his exploits would make for a fascinating watch.

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