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Sergio Perez says beating Max Verstappen “was a problem” for Red Bull
Former Red Bull Formula 1 driver Sergio Perez has revealed that “everything was a problem” during his time with the team, even when he outperformed Max Verstappen. The 35-year-old joined Red Bull for the 2021 season after a successful career, but faced challenges matching Verstappen’s pace. Perez managed to secure a victory for Red Bull in Azerbaijan and finished fourth in the standings in 2021. Despite a more consistent performance in 2022, including two wins, he ended up as runner-up to Verstappen in 2023. However, a lackluster 2024 season with just four podiums led to Perez losing his seat at Red Bull.
In an interview with the Cracked podcast, Perez emphasized the tense environment at Red Bull, where being faster or slower than Verstappen was always viewed as a problem. Perez noted that being Verstappen’s teammate was both the best and the worst job in Formula 1. Despite facing challenges, Perez acknowledged the valuable lessons he learned during his time at Red Bull. In 2026, Isack Hadjar will partner Verstappen at Red Bull, while Perez will make his F1 comeback with Cadillac.
