Sergio Pérez breaks his silence and delivers an unfiltered testimony about the realities of working alongside Max Verstappen within the Austrian team. Present at the Mexican Grand Prix as a future Cadillac driver in Formula 1, the Mexican driver gave an interview to Sky Sports F1 in which he exposes the considerable challenges faced by all teammates of the four-time world champion.
Pérez’s words resonate as a brutally honest analysis of a situation that few truly understand. No driver could survive there, he states without reservation. Whether you choose Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc or any other world champion, they will face enormous difficulties. This statement reinforces the theory that Red Bull’s internal structure massively privileges its Monégasque leader, creating an environment where the second driver must constantly battle to avoid being marginalized.
THE CURSE OF THE SECOND SEAT AT RED BULL
Since Daniel Ricciardo’s departure in 2019, a genuine curse appears to have befallen the position of Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull. Pierre Gasly was the first victim, removed after just half a season. Alexander Albon succeeded him but lasted only a season and a half before giving way to Pérez, who managed to remain with the team for four years.
This relative longevity of Pérez at Red Bull positions him as an exception. The Mexican was the only one to secure regular victories, winning seventeen successes over more than one hundred races with the red team. After the Spaniard, things accelerated. Liam Lawson first attempted his chance before being quickly replaced. Yuki Tsunoda then takes the wheel but struggles to make a difference against Verstappen’s domination.
THE TESTIMONY OF LIVED EXPERIENCE
Pérez insists on his empathy toward his successors, aware of the torment they endure. I don’t like criticizing drivers, he explains, because I was in that situation myself. I know exactly what they experience. As soon as I confirmed my departure from Red Bull after reaching an agreement, I knew who the poor person was going to be who would replace me. I managed to survive.
This revealing language uses the verb survive, emphasizing the nearly exhausting nature of the task. For Pérez, it is not simply about driving a competitive car but about navigating an extremely difficult organizational context. Being alongside Max is very difficult, he emphasizes. It’s something people don’t understand. I could tell you a lot about it, but in short, it’s simply a very difficult job for a driver.
AN UNBALANCED ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Pérez’s statements raise important questions about Red Bull Racing’s strategic and organizational approach to its drivers. Unlike other competing teams that seek to maintain a certain fairness between their two drivers, Red Bull appears to clearly optimize all parameters around Verstappen. This radically unequal balance of power makes productive cohabitation between two championship-level drivers virtually impossible.
The situation of drivers who have succeeded one another at Red Bull in 2024 perfectly illustrates this phenomenon. Lawson, despite his qualities, found himself overwhelmed. Tsunoda, an experienced driver who spent several seasons in Formula 1, also failed to make his mark. This accumulation of successive failures at Red Bull, in the role of second driver, is not by chance but rather the consequence of a structure designed to magnify the performance of a single champion.
RED BULL’S NEXT CHALLENGES
Liam Lawson is set to join Red Bull Racing for the 2025 season as Verstappen’s official teammate. The New Zealander, still young and seeking experience, will face the same challenges as his predecessors. Will he have the psychological and professional resources to perform better than Lawson or Tsunoda. The future will tell.
In parallel, the driver market in the paddock is at a crucial turning point. Lewis Hamilton joined Ferrari in 2025, Charles Leclerc holds the prestigious position with the Scuderia. Carlos Sainz finds himself at Williams. These major changes reflect a global desire among teams to challenge Red Bull and Verstappen’s dominance, a dominance that partly rests on this ability to create an environment optimized around a single champion.
THE SECRETS OF VERSTAPPEN’S DOMINANCE
Pérez’s remarks demonstrate that Verstappen’s superiority at Red Bull far exceeds purely driving qualities. Certainly, Max Verstappen possesses exceptional abilities behind the wheel, but the structure itself of the team appears designed to amplify these natural advantages. Additional resources, strategic priority, enhanced mechanical support: all elements contribute to establishing a clear hierarchy within the car.
This reality is not new in Formula 1 history, but it seems particularly pronounced at Red Bull in the current context. Other teams like Ferrari or Mercedes maintain a certain competitive balance between their drivers, allowing their second conductors to accumulate points and occasionally secure victories. At Red Bull, this dynamic does not apply.
TOWARD A BROADER REFLECTION
Pérez’s assertions invite motorsport observers to reflect on sporting and ethical balance within teams. How far can a team privilege a single driver without compromising the credibility of the competition. Formula 1, like any competition, rests on a certain form of fairness and sporting challenge. When a team develops internal architecture designed to systematically disadvantage the second driver, it raises legitimate questions.
Pérez’s comments thus offer a valuable window into the corridors of modern Formula 1. They confirm what many suspected, namely that Verstappen’s dominance is explained not only by his raw talent but also by an ecosystem entirely aligned to maximize his potential. For future Red Bull teammates of Max, the equation remains simple: accept the role of second violin or face chronic professional frustration.
Sources:
- Motorsport.com – Perez: « No driver could survive » alongside Verstappen
- Motorsport NextGen Auto – Perez: even Hamilton or Leclerc would suffer against Verstappen at Red Bull
- L’Argus – Formula 1 2025: Drivers, cars, calendar… discover the season guide
- Wikipedia – 2025 Formula One World Championship