Helmut Marko BLASTS 'lucky' Sergio Perez after Dutch Grand Prix performance

Dutch Grand Prix

Marko BLASTS 'lucky' Perez after Dutch Grand Prix performance

Marko had some strong words for the Mexican driver's performance at Zandvoort

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Monday 28 August 2023 12:12

Helmut Marko has suggested that Perez's high points finish at the Dutch Grand Prix, in which he came fourth, was down to luck.

The Mexican driver once again failed to provide an answer to his team-mate Max Verstappen's supreme pace which saw him secure his ninth consecutive race win.

Perez had, at one stage, led the race by quite a margin following a brilliant decision to switch to the intermediate tyres before everyone else had time to react.

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However, he lost the lead due to being undercut by his team-mate at the second round of pit-stops, before then losing second place to Fernando Alonso after spinning off into the barriers.

Perez also lost P3 to Pierre Gasly at the end of the race when he was given a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane and wasn't able to pull out a big enough gap to the Alpine driver.

And now Red Bull advisor Marko has said that Perez was lucky to even get fourth.

“I mean he was lucky with his pit stop that gave him the lead, and then when he came into the pits, he crashed quite heavy into the wall," he told Viaplay. "There was [also] a second penalty, and on the extremes [wet tyres] he was too late on the brakes, spun, and then he was lucky, because the car was damaged, the front wing, without the red flag, he wouldn’t have finished the race."

Perez pressure continues

Sergio Perez has struggled in 2023, whilst his team-mate has won 11 of the 13 races so far

There has been a lot of pressure on Perez's shoulders this year, with Verstappen's exceptional performances making Perez look like he should be doing better with the dominant RB19 car.

Red Bull have insisted he will be there for 2024, but it is looking unlikely that his contract will be extended beyond that.

Marko finished his interview by saying he feels a bit sorry for Perez.

“From us, we have commitment with him, we want to finish second in the championship, we have got that, so he’s building up (pressure) himself," he added. "I mean in fairness, whoever is the teammate of Max has a very hard and difficult life.”