Sergio Perez dodged a question on Red Bull’s public criticism of his performances this season, despite scrutiny from higher-ups at the team.
Helmut Marko, Red Bull motorsport advisor, has been in the spotlight for controversial comments made against his driver that referenced his nationality, for which he later apologized, and appears to be at odds with team principal Christian Horner over the status of his 2024 seat with the team – with Horner repeatedly assuring the Mexican that he will fulfill his contract with Red Bull next season.
After an excellent start to the season and a subsequent drop-off in form, Channel 4 presenter Steve Jones told him that “sometimes it feels like even your own team are against you” – but Perez does not believe that to be the case.
While Perez has mostly recovered from his mid-season slump, which saw Verstappen sail into a near-unassailable Drivers’ Championship lead, the spectre of Daniel Ricciardo lurking in the background did, for a time, put pressure on the Mexican to improve if he was to keep his place at Red Bull next year, despite the fact that he remains second in the Drivers’ standings.
Despite Marko’s numerous public comments about Perez and his “need to perform” in order to keep his seat on the team, Perez insists he has their full support behind the scenes, when Channel 4 asked him about his current situation.
“I was thinking that the pressure you must be under is extraordinary,” Jones told Perez ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.
“It appears to me that you are sometimes caught between a rock and a hard place.” Helmut Marko recently made a bit of a faux pas in the press, which would be a nice illustration.
“Sometimes it feels like your own team is working against you. Do you follow what I’m saying? Is it upsetting?”
Perez, on the other hand, batted down any concerns, claiming that the team supports him despite how things appear from afar at times.
“I mean, from the outside, it might appear that way at times, that there isn’t everyone on your side, and you might feel like things are more difficult than they should be,” Perez said.
“But, to be honest, I have full support in the team, and everyone wants me to succeed.”
The 33-year-old must battle with Verstappen, whose 15 triumphs last year set an all-time record for a single season, and whose run of 10 wins in a row set another all-time record that was only broken by Red Bull falling behind in Singapore.
When asked about the pressure of having the Dutchman on the opposite side of the garage, he gave him credit where credit was due.
“It’s tough, you know, because the guy is like a machine,” Perez admitted.
“He’s driving at an extremely high level, and we must respect that.” Being Max’s teammate really pushes you to your limits, which is why I’m here and why I want to keep going, because I’m being pushed to my limits.
“I can’t do this job at 90% throttle; I have to go all out or go home.”
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