Sergio Perez reasons why other drivers struggle to match Max Verstappen at Red Bull

Amid the ongoing rumours about Red Bull’s decision to retain Sergio Perez, the RB20 driver has spoken about the additional challenges of being Max Verstappen’s teammate. After a poor race and qualification round in Imola Perez is looking to make a comeback at Monaco. 

Notably, Similar to his predecessors, Perez has faced challenges in consistently matching Verstappen's performance. In the 2024 F1 season, he has yet to out-qualify or out-race the Dutch driver and currently holds third place in the championship standings, behind Leclerc. Despite this, Perez's performances have been commendably consistent, except the last weekend at Imola.

While speaking about it with media he said, “It's not fair if I'm going to speak for other drivers, but there are reasons why Red Bull doesn't work for everyone. Being Verstappen's teammate is super spicy. I'm sure I would have stood out more often if I had another teammate.”

“However, it is a fantastic challenge. Max is the best driver, he is complete and makes few mistakes. It's great to have a team-mate like that because you know you have to push to the limit and finish perfect weekends to beat him.”

Will Sergio Perez continue at Red Bull?

Perez's contract expires at the end of 2024, but he is optimistic about staying with the team for a fifth consecutive season. The Mexican driver is well-positioned to retain his seat, especially given Daniel Ricciardo's ongoing underperformance at Red Bull. 

Perez's enhanced performance in 2024 is attributed to a new approach that emphasizes focusing on his setup and personal performance. The five-time F1 race winner acknowledges that maintaining mental strength is crucial when competing alongside Verstappen.

He further said, “If you keep struggling and have a teammate like Max, who delivers weekend after weekend, you end up in a vicious cycle. You're constantly looking at the set-up of the car when there's probably not that much left in it. You just have to reset and stay mentally strong, because sometimes it can be very difficult. At Red Bull, you just have to be mentally strong now.”