SERGIO PEREZ says F1 stars like Lewis Hamilton would “struggle massively” to survive as Max Verstappen’s teammate.
Mexican driver Perez, 35, knows the Dutchman and the team inside and out having spent four-seasons at Red Bull.
Perez was axed from Red Bull after struggling throughout the 2024 season, which saw him finish eighth in the drivers’ standings.
It is worth remembering that he took five victories during his time at Red Bull and was instrumental in Verstappen winning his first world title in 2021.
His aggressive defence against Lewis Hamilton at the season finale in Abu Dhabi allowed Verstappen to close back up to the seven-time champion in the middle of the race.
That meant when the controversial late safety-car happened, Hamilton did not have a enough gap to pit for fresh tyres while also retaining the race lead.
He probably would have, had Perez not blocked him for so long.
The second Red Bull seat has been described by some pundits as a ‘poisoned chalice’ and ‘cursed’ given Liam Lawson’s fate following Perez.
The Kiwi driver lasted just two races before he was axed by then-boss Christian Horner, while Yuki Tsunoda has also since struggled.
Ahead of his return to the grid with new team Cadillac next year, Perez told Sky Sports F1: “I don’t like criticising drivers that have been there because I was in that position and I know exactly what they are going through.
“The minute I signed my exit from Red Bull, when we came to an agreement, I knew ‘poor guy, who comes here, it’s a very difficult place’.
“Being next to Max is very difficult, but being next to Max in Red Bull is something people don’t understand.
“There are so many things I could tell you, but it is simply a very difficult job for a driver.
“No driver can survive there. It doesn’t matter if you bring Hamilton, Leclerc. Whoever you bring there is going to struggle massively.
“It’s a very unique driving style. You have to constantly be adapting to the needs of Max. It’s as simple as that.”
It is thought that Verstappen’s extraordinary ability to handle an unpredictable car has led Red Bull to develop a machine that is fast but difficult for most other drivers.
Red Bull are also known for a brutal hiring and firing system under Horner and senior adviser Helmut Marko, which was hit or miss over the years.
Christian Klein, Scott Speed, Sebastien Bourdais, Sebastien Buemi, Jaime Alguersuari, Jean-Eric Vergne, Daniil Kvyat, Brendon Hartley, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon have all felt the brunt of this since the team started out in 2005.
Sometimes Horner made on paper the right decision, with Perez finishing a whopping 285 points behind Verstappen in his final season.
If the Mexican driver had raced in only the first two grands prix of the season, and none of the other 22, Red Bull would still have finished third.
Hindsight is a beautiful thing though with the second-spot still up in the air for next season with a crunch decision on Tsunoda’s future looming.
