Sergio Perez’s struggles prove Max Verstappen is the secret to Red Bull’s success not the RB19, claims renowned ex-F1 engineer

The Dutchman is en route to securing his third consecutive world title in 2023.

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez (Credits: Sports Illustrated)

Red Bull is so strong that the RB19 seems unbeatable in the hands of Max Verstappen in 2023. The Dutchman has won the last four consecutive races, in stark contrast to his teammate Sergio Perez, who has failed to reach Q3 and, subsequently, the podium since the Miami GP. Despite the car being the best on the grid, former F1 engineer Ernest Knoors believes Max Verstappen is the real factor inducing victory.

Knoors said that Verstappen, who is on the level of some all-time great drivers, is bringing home constant victories. He also said that despite Sergio Perez not being a bad driver, the car is less dominant in his hands than the Dutchman.

Ernest Knoors said, “Red Bull is strong. They are not strong because they did one thing right. They did a lot of things right. With Max, Red Bull has a driver at the level of Senna and Schumacher. An exceptional talent. Look at Perez; he is really not a pancake. But then that car is suddenly less dominant. Max makes a big difference in that. He is on a unique level.”

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Sergio Perez has struggled immensely to get to grips with the RB19 after he was overwhelmed by Verstappen in Miami. His title hopes are on the brink of evaporation, but he remains optimistic about regaining form in the coming races and mounting some pressure.

Sergio Perez’s future has been addressed by Helmut Marko

Sergio Perez and Helmut Marko (Credits: The Mirror)

The Mexican Perez’s recent struggles have raised concerns, particularly highlighted by his failure to qualify for Q3 in Canada, marking the third consecutive Grand Prix in which he faced this setback. As a result, the gap between him and his teammate, Max Verstappen, who currently leads the drivers’ championship, has widened significantly to an astonishing 69 points after only eight races.

Despite Sergio Perez’s recent difficulties, Helmut Marko emphasized that the Mexican driver has been fulfilling the expectations set for him, highlighting the specific task assigned to him. Marko raised doubts about finding a suitable replacement for Sergio Perez.

Tough weekend. We couldn't find the pace in both qualifying and the race. We're going to work extremely hard to turn this around. We know we can do it, and we'll come back very strong.

Congratulations to Max on helping today @redbullracing to reach the 100th win

Duro fin de… pic.twitter.com/DTddQ7nTdi
— Sergio Pérez (@SChecoPerez) June 18, 2023

RBR Advisor Helmut Marko said, “As far as Perez is concerned, so far, he has done the job we expect of him. He’s also proven that he can win races when he’s at his best. The question of whether he’s good enough doesn’t arise for us because Max is getting better and better, and the question you have to ask is rather a different one: Who would be the alternative?”

He added, “Is there anyone who could challenge Max at the moment? I honestly don’t see anyone there.” Red Bull is a team with minimal tolerance for failure, as they have displayed in the past. Should Perez fail to get his act together soon, a replacement could be imminent.