This weekend's Singapore Grand Prix marks a momentous occasion in Sergio "Checo" Perez's Formula One career, as he hits the 250 race start mile stone, putting him only 2 race starts away from being in the top ten drivers with the most F1 race starts of all time. But, as a driver who had shown great potential in his early F1 days; questions are starting to be asked as to why he seems unable to consistently challenge in the most dominate car on the current F1 grid. Has he lost his "spark?" Or, is his teammate; Max Verstappen, that good? Let's dive in.
Back in the day, Perez's junior racing career was nothing to scream and shout about. However, a championship win in the British Formula 3 International Series (National Class) and a 2nd place finish in the 2010 GP2 Series, not only caught the eye of the Sauber Formula One Team bosses, landing the Mexican a seat with them for the 2011 Formula One Season, but also Ferrari, adding him to their Driver Academy roster. And, almost immediately into his F1 career, Perez impressed; quickly gaining recognition for his ability to control tyre wear. The following season, at the Malaysian Grand Prix, he finished on the podium for the first time, fighting Double World Champion; Fernando Alonso, for the win in the latter stages of the race. His 2nd place finish won him praises from the motorsport community and rumours began of a potential move to Ferrari, which never happened. Instead, Perez was the replacement for Lewis Hamilton at McLaren in 2013 - a season that didn't exactly go the way Perez would have liked and saw him axed for 2014. So, it was over to Force India who he drove for, for 7 years, before joining Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen. And, so far at Red Bull, he's doing well. With consistent point finishes, regular podiums and a current 2nd place in the Driver's Championship, you need to ask why he's getting so much criticism in 2023.
Although the numbers are looking good, Perez is letting his on-track action do the most of the talking, and that, at times, hasn't been so good, with numerous crashes, mistakes and a string of early qualifying eliminations. And, unfortunately for him, this is what most people are picking up on, including Red Bull's Team Advisor, Helmut Marko, who hasn't been afraid to criticize his driver. For Red Bull, this is nothing new, after having the same issues with previous drivers; Pierre Gasly and Alexander Albon, who were both eventually axed from the team, with Perez rumoured to be going the same way. But, for Perez to be the third driver, (fourth, if you include Daniil Kvyat,) to have these struggles, makes you wonder - is the pressure of being Max Verstappen's teammate too much? Are the team's expectations on their "Number Two" driver too high? Maybe so. There are many factors pointing in this direction.
But, this doesn't eliminate the fact that Perez also struggled at McLaren, who were a top team during his 2013 contract. Of course, he had some decent enough races with the team, frequently finishing in the points, but he could never get the better of then teammate; Jenson Button, who finished the season 24 points ahead of the young Perez. And, that's exactly what he was back then; young. And, with only two seasons of F1 experience, many believed he wasn't ready for the step up into the limelight, or that he wasn't a good fit at the McLaren team. But, despite being dropped by the team for 2014, he has since gone onto have bigger and better accomplishments, all back within a midfield team, before being eyed up, once again, with a seat at the front of the grid.
Is Checo living proof of a driver that's better in the midfield than at the front of the grid? You could be saying the same for Pierre Gasly and Alexander Albon, who are both flourishing in different environments. And, that is what the problem seems to be time and time again - the nature of a team that is so heavily invested in one driver. Statistically, Perez is having his best season to date, despite some of his on-track antics. But, that isn't good enough for Red Bull or the "sofa critics," especially as he has thrown away several valuable points in the championship.
I can't help but feel sorry for Checo. He's come a long way since his Sauber days and being Max Verstappen's teammate has proved to be anything but an easy feat. Plus, he's part of a team that seems to have zero interest in him or his career. I've always been a fan of Red Bull, but their ethos isn't mentally healthy for a number two driver. Could this be why we're seeing so many mistakes from Checo? It's plausible. At the end of the day, Sergio Perez is a good Formula One driver. He may not be Championship material, but he can go out there and get the job done, rewarding himself with several championship points, in the process. Unfortunately for him, Red Bull consistently prove to be an unhealthy environment and until the day comes that someone can challenge Verstappen, we may continue to see the downfall of multiple drivers. If Perez were to leave Red Bull, could it mean the end of his F1 career? It's something only time will tell.
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