Marko pinpoints key to Perez’s Monaco win and Verstappen triumphing over Leclerc

Red Bull turned the tables on Ferrari during the Monaco Grand Prix after outplaying them on strategy.

Red Bull adviser Dr Marko has attributed a large part of the team’s success at the Monaco Grand Prix last weekend to chief strategist Hannah Schmitz.

Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen started the race in Monaco third and fourth respectively behind the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, whose front-row lockout was their second of the season.

After an extended rain delay, Perez and Verstappen double-stacked to go on to Intermediates, and the Scuderia made a strange call to change their minds about taking Leclerc all the way to the transition phase on his Wets.

READ: ‘Ultra-high risk’: Hamilton’s car more difficult to drive than Russell’s Mercedes at Monaco

This cost him the position to the Mexican, and the 24-year-old was then held by team-mate Carlos Sainz when he pitted for Slicks, allowing Verstappen to jump him as well when the Red Bull cars went onto Hards.

Sainz was held up by Nicholas Latifi on his out-lap, and Perez’s stop into the dry tyres put him into the lead, turning the race on its head.

The quick calls from the Red Bull pit wall were masterminded by Schmitz, who has received the plaudits of Dr Marko as a result.

“I’m proud of the entire team, but especially of our chief strategist, Hannah,” he told ORF.

“Of course, she also got a lot of information from Milton Keynes, but she kept calm and waited for the right decision.

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“This not only enabled us to win, but also put Max ahead of Leclerc.”

Perez was ecstatic at claiming his first win in Monaco as he joined the 3 other names to have claimed one of the most prestigious prizes in motorsport.

“As a driver you always dream of winning Monaco,” he told Sky Sports.

“To tick that box in my career, it’s super special, a very special day.”

READ: Valtteri Bottas: ‘This result is an outlier’

Perez and Verstappen were put onto Mediums after the red flag caused by Mick Schumacher’s crash, and the Mexican had to fend off Sainz at the end having suffered some extensive wear.

“I think I should have managed them a bit better,” explained Perez.

“I think in hindsight I could have managed them a bit better [but] I think it was the right call.

“I still had good traction, I never felt at risk that much but it was important to keep on track and we probably complicated the race more than we needed to.

“Then towards the end I felt like it cleared up a bit the graining and I was able to get some good lap times.”

Perez’s victory was his third in Formula 1, and his first of the 2022 season, making the third different winner of the year after Leclerc and Verstappen.