P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Red Bull would only be F1’s fourth-fastest team without Max Verstappen due to the underperformance of Sergio Perez.
According to Jenson Button, Red Bull is the fourth-best team in Formula 1 if you exclude Max Verstappen. This means that Verstappen is the one making the difference for the team. With other teams closing in on Red Bull, they cannot afford to have a driver who is not performing well. Sergio Perez’s future with the team is constantly in question, even though both he and Christian Horner have confirmed that his contract will be honored. If Perez doesn’t regain his form in the next five races, Red Bull will have a decision to make regarding his seat. Confidence is a crucial factor, and while Max Verstappen is at his peak and pushing boundaries, Perez is not performing at the same level. Despite driving the highly praised RB19 car, Perez only managed to qualify in ninth for the United States Grand Prix. The return of Daniel Ricciardo, who has made a comeback from injury for Red Bull’s sister team AlphaTauri, adds additional pressure on Perez’s highly sought-after seat.
Source: Crash
