P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Marko piles pressure on Perez with ‘up to him now’ verdict amid slump
During the Qatar Grand Prix, Max Verstappen performed exceptionally well while Sergio Perez had a challenging weekend. Perez qualified in 13th place and then got caught up in a three-car collision during the sprint race. On Sunday, he had to start from the pit lane due to a power unit change caused by Saturday’s crash. Although Perez made some progress, he received time penalties for exceeding track limits, ultimately finishing in 10th place with just one point. This caused his lead over Lewis Hamilton for second place in the drivers’ championship to decrease to 30 points. Red Bull’s Helmut Marko stated that Perez’s position is now entirely up to him, adding that Daniel Ricciardo is being considered as a potential replacement if Perez doesn’t improve. Christian Horner acknowledged Perez’s difficult weekend and hopes that he can regain his early-season form in the upcoming races.
Source: Crash
