Being Max Verstappen's F1 team-mate is 'the worst job'

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Formula 1

Being Max Verstappen's team-mate is 'the worst job' in F1

Sergio Perez spoke out about his time at Red Bull

Originally written by Kerry Violet. This version is a translation.

Friday 9 January 2026 17:06

Sergio Perez recently dished the details on what it is like being Max Verstappen's F1 team-mate.

Red Bull's driver lineup was comprised of Verstappen and Perez between 2021 and 2024, where the pair secured two constructors' titles for the team.

The duo worked well for the most part — Perez was comfortable as Verstappen's No.2 and rarely got in his way on track.

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This understanding between the driver duo allowed Verstappen to claim four drivers' titles of his own, but in 2024, Perez's place at the team began to look a little less stable.

After only contributing 152 points to Red Bull's tally of 589 that year, the energy drink giants opted to sack him ahead of 2025, leaving Perez without a full-time seat.

Perez reflects on Red Bull

Reflecting on the highs and lows he experienced during his time at Red Bull, Perez said: "Of all the ups and downs, I knew that in Formula 1 you're up and then you're down, just like in life, right? So, I knew that everything was temporary. We had the best team. Unfortunately, everything was destroyed.

"We had the team to dominate the sport for the next 10 years, I think. And unfortunately, it's all over now, but I was in the best team, in a complicated team."

Expanding on his definition of complicated, Perez then claimed that playing second fiddle to Verstappen could, at times, be the worst job in the sport.

"Just being Max's team-mate is very difficult, but being Max's team-mate at Red Bull is the best and the worst job there is in Formula 1, by far," said Perez.

"And well, everyone forgot, didn't they? When I arrived at Red Bull, I started getting results, and everyone forgot how difficult it was to be in that seat, right? And I was very aware of what I was getting into."

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Sergio Perez