Perez

Marko has wanted Perez out for quite a while, for some reason Horner insists of keeping him. Remember how we all said that Massa must have secret photos on LdM and that's why he never got sacked? It would make sense here too but we've all seen the photos now lol

 

Contractual obligations towards sponsors are often the stumbling block why teams don't quickly terminate a driver who stops performing. Sponsors have learnt to protect their interests, and hire lawyers who will present bulletproof contracts that contain heavy financial penalties in case of non complience. That's probably what happend at Red Bull in the case of Perez.
As I have said many times on this forum, when people suggest ditching this driver or another.
Sponsors run the show in F1, and often make the decisions. "Who pays the piper, calls the tune !"

 

It's interesting that shareholders will dictate Perez's future at the end of this season....which states how much money Perez brings into RedBull. Had this been anyone else, Horner along with Marko would have fired them a long time ago.

 

No...Max does not like driving this car at all. If you watch his onboards he is not comfortable with it, and certainly his radio makes it even clearer. The car doesn't respond to his inputs. Max does adapt to cars much better than Perez and pretty much anyone in the field. Only 2 that spring to my mind that are top notch in adapting to cars are Schumacher and Alonso.

Albon said (after he left Red Bull) about his own driving style that he really likes a car that's very on the nose (more than most others). He then got to RB and drove around a bit then asked for Max's setup and he didn't believe that Max could drive the car like that: It was so sensitive but he was able to drive the car in that way.

The current RB20 is the opposite of that. It's an understeering truck. But Max adapted to the car in the way it wants to be driven. He'd be much faster if the car responded to his inputs but it just can't do it.

 

Horner probably wants him out too but I suspect he's walking on egg shells a bit with the big bosses that control all the money. After his scandal this year and rumors of internal conflict at Red Bull, I'm sure he's playing the game by keeping Red Bull corporate happy, while still trying to do what's best for the team. All signs point to the only reason why Perez is still there is because of the money he brings to Red Bull.

 

Short answer. Yes.

Its no secret Max wants a car with an extremely good front end. He can be quoted saying something about a car that understeers cannot be a fast car. Albon has an interview about saying how Max prefers a car with a front end so sharp it can be difficult to drive.

Anyone that has driven a racing sim or racing game and played with setups knows a lot can be done to help each and any driver to get more comfortable with a given car. While the Red Bulls of the last 5 years may have a fundamental design of having good front grip, be this through aero or weight distribution or suspension geometry, etc. A setup can still be changed to make it easier to drive. Perez can and has been seen with different rear wings (typically higher DF level than Max). There is plenty of front wing tuning to change the aero balance.

I believe that Perez requires a setup that is far more safe, predictable and confidence inspiring. I think most drivers like a setup closer to Perez's style than Max's. Albon, Gasly and Perez have all proved this so far. Ricciardo perhaps as well as he started to fall off Max's pace as the team started to develop more towards Max's preference. However, I think this safer more typical setup is just flat out not as fast. I suspect Perez goes with the faster setup because that's the only way the car can be competitive, but it's outside his comfort and ability to drive it on the limit consistently.

In my own Sim Racing experience. I've driven setups that are without a doubt faster, but I simply couldn't handle it like some of these insanely talented drivers. I think its the same case with Verstappen. Give him and any top driver the same car with the same generic, normal setup and Max probably isn't much faster if at all. He may still be able to reach the limit more consistently and do less mistakes than most, but the outright speed advantage may not really been evident. Where Max's talents really shine is when he develops a car or setup to his style which is something that nobody else seems to be able to handle. Now he's 4 or 5 tenths faster and pretty much unbeatable.

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't there rumors or reports that said that Red Bull would develop the car to help Perez?

I can't help think that maybe Red Bull thought they had such an advantage over everyone (they started 2024 more dominant than they were in 2023) that they figured they had enough margin to work towards helping Perez. Maybe that's why the car went off the rails. However there is no evidence to support that Perez got any better. Maybe the whole plan just fell part and ruined the balance for Max, didn't improve the car like they thought. Apparently they had some serious issues with inconsistency, which is something Max can drive around and Perez clearly can't.

Wouldn't it be hilarious if Red Bull's domination came to an end because of trying to help Perez, only to see Perez fail even more miserably?

 

Yeah after pre-season testing RBR claimed that this car has a wider balance so should help Perez. Then Perez was still Perez and after the opening races, RBR said they'd develop the car more towards Perez's needs. Well, that worked.

 

Hasta??

Perez "knows what the situation is" as Red Bull exit set after Abu Dhabi GP
The Mexican's underwhelming season continued in Qatar

Christian Horner insists Sergio Perez is "old enough and wise enough to know what the situation is" as Red Bull appears set to split with the Mexican after Abu Dhabi.

Perez will finish only eighth in the drivers' standings despite team-mate Max Verstappen winning his fourth title, with the 34-year-old's shortcomings largely to blame for the team's inability to keep McLaren and Ferrari at bay in the constructors' standings.

After a number of underwhelming qualifying results, the Qatar Grand Prix weekend again proved challenging for Perez, who scored no points.

 

You guys do not understand Marketing.

Perez is huge in Mexico. RB wants to sell drinks in Mexico. F1 wants to be popular in Mexico. Therefore Perez was tolerated in an RB car as long as Verstappen is winning.

It is, unfortunately, the method of pro racing today. How else can you explain Stroll other than money.

 

Stroll having a seat is about family.
If his dad wanted max return on his investment, he would have a more storied driver in that seat.
I still say Stroll is not worse that some of the non top tier drivers who have seats for primary reasons that do not include ability to race.

 

Such as ?

 

Far worse after making rookie level mistakes in multiple races this year alone. He is a low tier F1 driver. Notable for not being better after soooo many years.

 

Marko yesterday --

"There is a meeting Monday after Abu Dhabi. All the major people are there, all of the shareholders, and there a decision will be done," Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko told Viaplay.

"We always, or most of the time, brought our own drivers through the Red Bull programme and I think it's a philosophical decision - do we stick to that? And what I got from the shareholders is it will be in this direction."

--May 7th numbers = In 2023, the company's global revenue amounted to about 10.55 billion euros worldwide.--

Not sensing Checo is a large percentage of that total. He can be released the impact wont be measurable overall. The Corporation has zero issue funding this entire effort on its own. Its sponsorship is strong and the Racing Team is hardly begging for money to cover any issue raised by a departure of Checo.

 

Rumor is now that Lawson will go to Red Bull and Hadjar (currently 2nd in F2 behind Bortoleto, who will go to Sauber) will go to Racing Bulls.
So Perez seems to be out eventually.

 

Yes, that has been the talk for a month but is becoming more and more likely. Yuki is seen as inconsistent and a loose cannon who could cause problems such as team order disobedience hence they prefer Lawson.

Not sure Liam is more consistent but he certainly is calmer.

In a week we'll know for sure.

 

isnt Yuki a Honda pick? no more Honda, no more Yuki?

 

Brambilla and Stroll are in contention, too.

 

I don't see Lawson in the 2nd seat at RedBull. This of course is my personal opinion. He's way to new and quite frankly doesn't have the chops.

I'll go out on a limb and say it's Gasly once again in the RedBull seat with a year-to-year contract.

Let's face it, anyone that's going to be Max's teammate is for sure a make-or-break sentence.

 

I would like to see what Gasly can do in that seat a second time around with more experience under his belt. It couldn't possibly be worse than Perez.

 

I don't think Gasly wants that smoke a second time.

 

I don't think any established driver would at this point. Only Alonso, for him there is nothing to lose, can put everything on age.

Those earmarked as a future champion simply can't afford it.

The Gasly's etc have either experienced it or seen it happen.

Only for a Rookie or relative rookie there isn''t too much to lose.

 

Checo could keep racing!! Kmag is!


BMW signs Magnussen to LMDh roster as factory driver for 2025
Racing programme yet to be confirmed for the Dane

 

Good news !!! I am glad for KMag. His father had a good career in endurance (with Panoz mostly) after failing in F1.
There is life after F1 !!