Helmut Marko insists Sergio Perez in 'WORST' position next to Max Verstappen

marko, Perez, 2022 — Photo: © LAT Images

Sergio Perez

Marko insists Perez in 'WORST' position next to Verstappen

The Mexican driver has found it hard to keep pace with the dominant Dutchman

Lauren Sneath

Monday 28 August 2023 17:57

Helmut Marko has claimed that Sergio Perez is in the 'worst position' by virtue of being Max Verstappen's team-mate, after he criticised the Mexican's recent qualifying displays.

The Red Bull adviser spoke warmly of the Dutchman’s impressive performance as he attempts to clinch a third world championship. Verstappen took pole position in Zandvoort before converting Saturday's result into a ninth successive race win.

However, Perez was not so lucky, only managing seventh place on the grid.

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Marko: Perez not the best in qualifying

Sergio Perez has struggled to best team-mate Max Verstappen this season

Asked by Ralf Schumacher for Sky Germany why there was such a difference between the drivers if they are using the same machinery, Marko said that Perez is ‘not the best qualifier’ and attributed his lower position to poor strategy around his warm-up lap.

Marko suggested that the decision by Red Bull to allow Perez an extra warm-up lap scuppered his chances, saying the decision to do so ‘wasn’t right’.

However, he acknowledged that anyone going up against Verstappen is in a tricky position.

“I believe that whoever Max’s team-mate has the worst position," Marko said. "We know that Sergio is not the best qualifier, strategy wise too, but that's just compensation for Sergio and his racing engineer for the way they approached this decision, which wasn't right either, but it made up for itself in the end.”