Marko fires 'ejector seat' warning to Red Bull wannabes

Helmut Marko has warned anyone stepping in to replace Sergio Perez that being Max Verstappen's team-mate turns the cockpit into an 'ejector seat'.

Verstappen has won the last three world titles, and claimed 19 of a possible 22 race victories last season - with team-mate Perez picking up just two in a barren campaign.

Despite achieving the first 1-2 in the championship in the team’s history and being given another year with Red Bull, Perez struggled to compete against his team-mate last season and will be under increased pressure to stay in F1.

If the Mexican is to underperform, the newly-rebranded Visa Cash App RB drivers – Tsunoda and Ricciardo – will be eyeing a move to the senior team if the opportunity arises.

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Marko warns drivers over second Red Bull seat

However, Perez, and the likes of Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly before him, have not been able to match or get close to Verstappen, and Marko has warned that no driver on the grid can do that, labelling the second Red Bull car as an ‘ejector seat.’

“[The second seat alongside Verstappen is] highly coveted on the one hand, but also an ejector seat, as no team-mate can hold a candle to Max and it can quickly become demoralising,” Marko told Kleine Zeitung.

“For both of them [Ricciardo and Tsunoda], it’s not just about staying in Formula 1, but also about the opportunity to move up to Red Bull Racing. This applies to whoever clearly dominates the season within the team.”

The Austrian did stress that Perez is still very much an option for the team in 2025 and while he does not see the Mexican’s focus on the title coming to reality, Marko affirmed that Perez will stay in the running for the seat if he is consistent and wins races, having claimed two victories in 2023.

“Checo has to perform consistently,” Marko reiterated.

“It’s clear that he can’t always drive at Verstappen’s level. If he finishes second in the World Championship and wins one or two races, he will certainly be an option for 2025.”

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