Sergio Perez’s days at Red Bull are finished, claims Ralf Schumacher

Former F1 driver and pundit Ralf Schumacher suggests that the clock is ticking for Sergio Perez‘s Red Bull journey. Lately, the Mexican driver’s performance has been a rollercoaster ride, with five missed Q3s and a crash followed by a lackluster ninth-place qualification in Hungary. His early-season brilliance now seems a distant memory as he lags 110 points behind his teammate, the reigning champion Max Verstappen.

Sergio Perez‘s struggles with consistency have been glaring. Criticism poured in after his recent blunders, including a crash in Hungary’s first free practice session. He is now being linked for a potential replacement by Daniel Ricciardo, who was recently promoted to Alpha Tauri. While Perez holds a contract until 2024, the current performance slump might lead to premature termination. The team needs both drivers firing on all cylinders as the competition tightens. The mental stability of the driver has come into question.

The Hungarian GP saw the teams being the closest to Red Bull for the first time since the start of the season. Red Bull, in a bid to reassure Perez, may downplay concerns about his job security, but Ralf remains unconvinced. Writing about this on his blog, Ralf Schumacher points out the difference he has to Max Verstappen saying, “He’s just too far away from Max.” The German remarked, “for me, his days at Red Bull are over.” 

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Ralf Schumacher feels that Red Bull cannot afford to use drivers with extreme pace difference

Red Bull have won every race of the season so far and are too superior to lose their grip on the title. Thus, Perez’s nightmarish performances are turning void due to the buffer they have. However, Ralf points out that Red Bull can’t afford such significant gaps between their drivers, especially as rival teams are closing in.

The former German driver remarked, “It’s unfair of us to put more pressure on him.” He emphasized, “especially in the future, when other teams are getting closer, Red Bull can’t afford for one driver to be so much slower than the other.” Verstappen finished over 36 seconds ahead of Perez at the Hungarian GP, who failed to mount a challenge for second place on Lando Norris in the dying stages.

Ralf’s analysis indicates that Perez’s days at Red Bull might be numbered. As much as it might seem harsh, it’s a strategic decision to ensure the team’s future success. While the signs may not be in Perez’s favor now, a sudden turnaround in form could change the narrative. The pressure is on, and Perez needs to deliver if he intends to prolong his stay with the team.

In case you missed it:

• Christian Horner rejoices as Red Bull breaks McLaren’s record for the most consecutive wins with the dominant RB-19
• “Not my problem,” Lando Norris refuses take the blame for breaking Max Verstappen’s Hungarian GP winners trophy

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