Verstappen Defends Perez: His Form ‘Not Our Biggest Problem’ at Red Bull
Verstappen dismisses Perez’s performance as Red Bull’s main concern.
After a disappointing start to the 2023 season for Red Bull, with Max Verstappen retiring from the Bahrain Grand Prix and Sergio Perez finishing outside of the podium, the pressure is mounting on the team to improve their performance. While Perez has been criticized for his lack of pace and consistency, Verstappen has come to his defense, claiming that the team has bigger problems to address.
Verstappen: Perez’s Form Not Our Biggest Issue
Speaking to the media after the Bahrain Grand Prix, Verstappen said, “I don’t think Checo’s [Perez’s] performance is our biggest problem at the moment. We have a lot of things to improve on as a team, and we need to work together to get the car performing at its best.”
Verstappen’s comments suggest that he believes the team’s technical issues are more pressing than Perez’s form. Red Bull has struggled with reliability problems in recent races, and Verstappen has been particularly vocal about his frustration with the team’s inability to resolve these issues.
Red Bull Boss Horner Agrees with Verstappen
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has echoed Verstappen’s sentiments, saying that the team is focused on improving the car’s performance rather than criticizing Perez. “We need to give Checo a car that he can compete with,” Horner said. “Once we do that, I’m confident that he will deliver the results we expect of him.”
Perez Under Pressure to Improve
Despite Verstappen and Horner’s defense, Perez is under pressure to improve his performance. The Mexican driver has yet to win a race for Red Bull and has been outperformed by Verstappen on a consistent basis. With the team struggling for results, Perez needs to step up and deliver if he wants to keep his seat at Red Bull.
Conclusion
Verstappen’s defense of Perez is a sign of the team’s unity despite their recent struggles. However, Perez is under pressure to improve his performance if he wants to remain a part of Red Bull’s plans for the future.
