Guenther Steiner busts Sergio Perez theory in finding culprit for Red Bull struggles

Guenther Steiner is perplexed that Red Bull are continuing with Sergio Perez

Guenther Steiner has responded to speculation Red Bull could roll back on their 2024 upgrades to make the RB20 more driveable for Sergio Perez by telling the team is it not the car, it’s “really the driver”.

Perez’s Formula 1 future was the subject of much debate in the run-in to Formula 1’s summer break with the Mexican driver recording a run of nine races off the podium.

Guenther Steiner weighs in on Sergio Perez’s Red Bull struggles

Falling behind his team-mate Max Verstappen on the track and in the standings, Perez slumped to seventh in the standings as the only driver out of the top four teams not to secure a race victory.

But his minimal points aren’t just hurting his efforts in the Drivers’ standings, they’ve also had an impact on Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship.

Scoring just 28 points since the Miami Grand Prix, race one in his nine-race streak off of the podium, Red Bull have managed just 169 points to McLaren’s 242 allowing the Woking team to close the gap to 42 points.

It has pundits clearing McLaren will “very quickly” overhaul Red Bull unless Perez returned from the summer break a “changed” man.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has vowed to do what he can to help with that, saying: “The team has been and is right behind him. Everybody wants to see him succeed because it hurts seeing him in the situation that he is.”

Sergio Perez’s F1 2024 deficit to Max Verstappen laid bare

 F1 2024: Head-to-head qualifying record between team-mates

 F1 2024: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates

This led to speculation Red Bull could roll back on the RB20’s upgrades and even as far back as the Chinese GP spec of the car to assist Perez.

But according to Steiner, the issue is not the car, it’s the driver.

“Today, very few things change substantially about the car,” the former Haas team boss told Racingnews365 podcast. “They are the same.

“And if ever there is only one instance of an update, something like that is clearly communicated. It is not something you can withhold. Those times are over.

“Such things happen completely transparently within a team. They are all established names doing good work. There is nothing among them (that would not be in the right.

“It’s really the driver. And I think it’s something mental.

“There is some stress involved and then when you consider how little it takes to be three to four tenths slower, it is understandable that you lack confidence for a while. You feel you are always under pressure, everyone is watching you and everyone is commenting.”

And those Monday headlines have not been kind to Perez amidst his ongoing struggles.

“I always think to myself on Mondays how much it must take possession of you when you read and hear about everything again after a bad weekend or when you are beaten by your team-mate again. It grabs you unless you are really very strong in your mind,” Steiner continued.

“But then that’s the difference between the good drivers and the really good drivers. The really good drivers, the World Champions, they don’t feel that.”

Red Bull opted against swapping out Perez for Daniel Ricciardo, or even Liam Lawson, at the summer break with team boss Christian Horner announcing Perez “remains” a Red Bull driver.

Steiner reckons that’s a decision that could come back to haunt the team.

“I don’t think so no, but I’ve been proven wrong before,” he said about Perez bouncing back. “We also all thought he wouldn’t survive the summer break, but he’s still there.

“I also wish him all the best. I don’t begrudge him anything bad, because I have a lot of respect for him as a driver.”

Read next: Follow PlanetF1.com’s WhatsApp channel for all the F1 breaking news!