Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko has revealed why Sergio Perez is currently so much slower than team-mate Max Verstappen, to the point where the Dutchman now boasts a 69-point lead in the Drivers’ Championship.
The reigning World Champion heads to Red Bull’s home race this weekend on a run of four consecutive wins, whilst Perez heads to the Red Bull Ring having failed to progress to Q3 for three races in a row.
As well as that, Perez has finished no higher than fourth since he claimed second at the Miami Grand Prix, a race which saw Verstappen win despite having started ninth.
Perez’s recent poor form has given his team-mate a comfortable buffer in the standings, should he encounter any issues prior to the summer break.
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The Mexican’s downfall has come as a bit of a shock, given that he claimed two wins in the opening four races.
When asked why Perez is currently struggling so much alongside Verstappen though, Marko simply admitted that “Max is Max”, hinting at his undeniable talent.
“Because Max is Max,” Marko bluntly told Austria’s OE24. “He’s in the best car.”
Verstappen has been unbeatable recently; however, Marko does think there are two drivers on the grid who could pose a threat.
Whilst he doesn’t think they’d be able to beat the 25-year-old, Marko noted that Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton had the ability to “keep up with him”.
“[Fernando] Alonso and [Lewis] Hamilton could, at most, keep up with him,” Marko added.
“These three are simply the strongest, among them Max stands out again.”
Verstappen’s recent win at the Canadian Grand Prix actually marked Red Bull’s 100th victory, since they joined the pinnacle of motorsport in 2005.
It means Red Bull head to their home race at the Austrian Grand Prix as centurions, something which perhaps takes some of the pressure away.
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Marko joked that Red Bull claiming their 100th win in Montreal worked as a “wonderful sleep aid” on the way back to Europe, with the likelihood being that they’ll claim their 101st in Spielberg this weekend.
“If something like that happens, you don’t run away right away, you also accept the Red Bull-picked clothes,” Marko joked.
“But I changed right away and then slept wonderfully on the plane. 100 wins is a wonderful sleep aid.”