Red Bull F1 news: Sergio Perez brutally undermined as 'failed' star

Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez, Red Bull, Belgium, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Superstars

F1 champion brutally hits out at 'failed' Red Bull star

Mika Hakkinen speaks on Red Bull's second driver, Sergio Perez

Jay Winter

Sunday 8 September 2024 10:57 Updated: 11:08

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Sergio Perez has come under scathing criticism from two-time Formula 1 world champion Mika Hakkinen, who has accused the Red Bull driver of failing both himself and his team during a disappointing season.

Perez, once touted as a strong contender for race victories alongside team-mate Max Verstappen, is now facing serious doubts about his future with the team as his performance continues to decline.

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Despite a promising start to the season, where Perez secured four podium finishes in the first five races, the Mexican driver has since struggled to maintain form.

Currently enduring an 11-race streak without a top-three finish - the longest drought since he joined Red Bull in 2021 - Perez's future with the team appears increasingly uncertain.

While he was granted a new one-plus-one contract in June to see him through the end of next season, speculation over his position has only intensified as his performances have waned.

Sergio Perez has come under scrutiny this season

Checo has retained his Red Bull seat despite his below par performances

Hakkinen: Perez is part of Red Bull's 'downside'

Hakkinen, who clinched the F1 championship in 1998 and 1999 with McLaren, did not mince words in his assessment of Perez’s recent form.

Speaking to Unibet International, Hakkinen acknowledged the harsh realities of Formula 1, where teammates are both collaborators and competitors.

He pointed out that the growing performance gap between Perez and Verstappen has had serious repercussions for Red Bull's overall development.

"Formula 1 is a very cruel sport, and there are two drivers in a team who are naturally competing with each other before they start competing against others," said Hakkinen.

"In this case, the gap between him [Perez] and Max has been increasing constantly.

"What that means is you don't get the data, you don't get the information from both cars to be able to develop the car as quickly as required.

"That has been a real downside for the development of the Red Bull team, and it's challenging."

Hakkinen emphasised the importance of having two strong drivers to push a team forward, especially during the limited time available on race weekends.

"Just one car is not able to move the team forward. You need two cars, you need two drivers.

"Sergio has not been able to deliver this for the Red Bull team. It has been influencing the success, and this has been a very negative thing.

"Sergio Perez has been in Formula 1 a long time," Hakkinen added.

"This is not the first year or second year. He has had the chance to study himself, to understand himself, what does he need to be the number one, and he has failed to do that."

While Perez’s seat may be secure for the remainder of the season, the long-term viability of his role at Red Bull is now under intense scrutiny.

Whether the team will honour the contract extension granted just a few months ago remains to be seen.