Red Bull Racing’s Sergio Perez is under intense scrutiny and criticism following a tumultuous performance at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Jan Lammers, a Dutch motorsport pundit, did not mince his words, describing Perez’s driving as “criminal,” while Robert Doornboss, another former F1 driver turned commentator, asserted that Perez is “making a fool of himself.”
Both Dutch pundits have expressed doubts about Perez’s future with the Red Bull team, hinting at a possible replacement.
Lammers pointed towards young talent Liam Lawson as a potential successor to Perez.
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While Max Verstappen secured pole position at the Suzuka circuit with a commanding lead over McLaren rookie Oscar Piastri, Perez struggled and managed only fifth place on the grid.
This placement left him in a precarious position on the opening lap, where he made contact with Lewis Hamilton twice, ultimately breaking his own front wing.
Although race stewards deemed the initial incident a racing incident, Perez’s misfortunes continued.
He earned a five-second penalty for overtaking Fernando Alonso behind the Safety Car as he headed into the pits for repairs.
Later in the race, he collided with Kevin Magnussen at Turn 11, resulting in yet another broken front wing.
The cumulative damage forced Perez to retire from the race prematurely, while his teammate, Max Verstappen, went on to secure victory, effectively clinching the Constructors’ Championship title for Red Bull.
Jan Lammers expressed his dissatisfaction with Perez’s performance, stating, “When you see what Perez is doing with that beautiful car, it’s almost criminal.”
This marked the second consecutive race weekend in which Perez had two incidents, having previously collided with Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon in Singapore.
Lammers speculated that Red Bull’s decision not to announce Liam Lawson as a 2024 AlphaTauri driver might suggest a different plan for the talented young driver, possibly involving Perez’s replacement.
Lammers elaborated, “I think Perez is really ready for retirement.
“I mean, how much fun is this for him?
“What we’re seeing is a total lack of drive, motivation, sharpness—everything, really.
“I think Red Bull could be preparing to put Lawson in that seat.”
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Robert Doornboss echoed similar sentiments, suggesting that Perez’s time with Red Bull might be coming to an end after this season.
“I think Helmut Marko is completely done with Perez,” Doornboss commented.
“He (Perez) has had his good moments, but that was a long time ago. Now he’s just causing damage and making a fool of himself.”