Red Bull Racing could not make a full run in 2021, having to settle for Max Verstappen’s title and second place in the constructors’ championship. Sergio Pérez has been the weakest part of the team and Marko has revealed why.
Mercedes has not been able to revalidate the two world titles that it had been winning uninterruptedly since 2014, because Max verstappen He beat Lewis Hamilton by just an eight-point margin.
An advantage that was not enough to compensate those that Valtteri Bottas took from Sergio Pérez, a total of 36 points that tipped the balance of the constructors’ championship in favor of the Anglo-German formation.
“He always responds, and without complaining, or rebelling, or questioning the plan”
Although the Mexican obtained victory in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix And he was on the podium four more times, showing notable weakness in qualifying, beating Max Verstappen just once and losing half a second per lap on average Saturday’s crunch time.
Something that Helmut Marko has no qualms about admitting, noting that Sergio Pérez «It has a weakness, it is the classification. But in race speed he is impeccably there ».
Loyalty and teamwork
But Helmut Marko has no qualms about pointing out that Sergio perez He is an important asset for his team, as he considers that the Mexican “is incredibly loyal and is a team player.”
“Of course, sometimes we have discussed certain scenarios with him and then he responds, and without complaining, or rebelling, or questioning them”, affirms, satisfied and knowing that a part of the success of Max Verstappen is the responsibility of his teammate.
Statistics of Sergio Pérez in his first year with Red Bull
Something that even the Dutch driver himself has no qualms about admitting, noting that “what Checo did in Abu Dhabi was incredible. That also helped our race at the end, because Mercedes couldn’t stop with the safety car. Without Checo, of course, I would not have become a world champion », sentence.
Looking ahead to 2022, Sergio Pérez will have to raise his level and improve in the qualifying sessions, which would allow him to start from the front of the races more assiduously and, unlike last year, become another strategic option for his team in contention for victory.