Perez claims media ‘didn’t understand’ slump with Red Bull’s issues now ‘so big that even Max is feeling them’

Sergio Perez has opened up on the struggles he has experienced behind the wheel of Red Bull’s RB20 for the most part of the 2024 season, saying “some people don’t understand” the situation.

After a strong start to the campaign that saw him back up team mate Max Verstappen and finish on the podium at four of the opening five races, the Mexican has failed to finish in the top-three positions in any of the 11 Grands Prix since.

READ MORE: Horner explains how Verstappen has reacted to Red Bull struggles as he vows team will ‘come back’

Perez has put this down to issues “I’ve had probably for the last 15 months” thanks to “the car development, the direction, the trajectory we’ve been taking”, with Verstappen – until recent races – managing to keep things in check on his side of the garage.

Asked if it is a bit of vindication to see Verstappen struggling now, and highlighting that the car was difficult to drive all along, Perez said: “I think it’s a thing with the style of Max. He’s less sensitive to the issues we have just by nature.

“Some people don’t understand it, especially from the media side, that different driver styles can come to different conclusions. The problem was… Well, not the problem – the good thing was that Max was less sensitive to it than I was.

“Ten, 12 races ago, I was complaining about these issues, but now they are so big that even Max is feeling them. I think the solution will benefit me even more with my style.

READ MORE: Verstappen reacts to Newey joining Aston Martin as Red Bull push to fix RB20’s problems

“It’s very clear in the data, the team is fully aware of it and hopefully we can fix the issues soon going forwards. Then we can unlock a lot of performance from the car.”

Perez arrives in Baku as the only repeat winner of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, having triumphed at the event in 2021 and 2023 to add to his reputation as somewhat of a street track specialist.

However, asked if he has the confidence required to push in the same way this weekend, he said: “Not at the moment. Not after Monza, let’s put it that way, but it’s a very different track.

“On the simulator it feels like probably the best balance of the year because of the track layout, so hopefully with the limitations we currently have, we are not able to feel them as much here and we can have the confidence to really attack the whole circuit.

READ MORE: Krack says ‘the door is always open’ for Verstappen at Aston Martin after Newey agrees to join from Red Bull

“It’s the only way to get the lap time out of here – you need the confidence to throw the car into the walls, to throw the car on the braking. If we are able to get that, I really hope… This, on paper, seems to be our best chance. These next two coming weekends [with Singapore to follow] should be good ones.”

Red Bull hold a slender eight-point lead over McLaren in the constructors’ standings with eight rounds remaining, while Max Verstappen sits 62 points clear of Lando Norris in the drivers’ battle.

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