Sergio Perez living in a ‘nightmare’ with his chances of staying in F1 questioned

Red Bull driver Sergio Perez.

Off the pace of Max Verstappen at the Red Bull Ring, Davide Valsecchi has warned Sergio Perez “this is not that gap” that guarantees a driver’s future.

Although Perez recently signed a new two-year extension with Red Bull, his growing deficit to Max Verstappen on the track and in the standings has raised questions about whether Red Bull regret the decision.

Sergio Perez in ‘trouble’ with huge deficit to Max Verstappen

The Mexican driver hasn’t featured on the podium in the last six races, and crashed out of two, while his average qualifying deficit to Verstappen has grown to 0.629 seconds, not helped by his 0.888s gap at the Red Bull Ring.

Off the pace in qualifying, Perez’s woes continued into the Grand Prix where despite Verstappen’s crash, the Mexican driver crossed the line two places behind his team-mate.

Team boss Christian Horner subsequently revealed Perez had been hampered by an “air brake” courtesy of a hole in his sidepod, but given that Perez was 17s behind Verstappen in the 23-lap Sprint race, questions are being asked about his future.

Asked if Perez was ‘nailed in’ for next season, Valsecchi told the F1 Nation podcast: “A good question. I don’t know to be honest.

“I always loved the Checo Perez, I always thought that he is not the best talent in the world but was an incredibly solid driver before getting to Red Bull beside Verstappen.

“But then you challenge the talent and you challenge the top driver in the world, you challenge the new World Champion and life becomes more difficult.

“The life driver that is team-mate of the champions becomes a nightmare.

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“I think that he not delivering. He is for sure able to stay closer to the stop and to be solid like he has been in the past few years in Formula One, but today missing the overtake on Hulkenberg for sixth position…. In the home of Red Bull, he has to shine and he missed it.

“I hope for him to see him be brilliant in one of the next races because I know he is able to do better.

“Seven-tenths per lap slower than your team-mate. This is not the gap that gives you the chance to stay in Formula One for much longer. It’s a trouble.

“Seven-tenths, I’m sorry this too much is a fact. I’m really sorry for him.”

Brazilian journalist Julianne Cerasoli added: “And we’ve seen what he can do in the beginning of the year. At the beginning, he wasn’t far off. So something just doesn’t click for him after May.”

Perez trails championship leader Verstappen by 119 points in the Drivers’ standings, the Dutchman having secured seven wins while Perez is yet to get off the mark.

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