Perez Proves He Is the №2 Driver Red Bull Have Been Missing
Max Verstappen and Red Bull finally have their partner-in-crime to challenge Mercedes on both fronts with.
The decision to bring in Sergio Perez to Red Bull was a surprising one. By the time the deal was officially announced it made a lot of sense, but go back to that pause enforced by the pandemic in 2020 and no one would have predicted the Mexican to be driving alongside Max Verstappen anytime soon.
Despite numerous podiums at Sauber and Force India/Racing Point, Perez had seemingly missed his chance at a big team after his disappointing stint with McLaren in 2013.
Perez had settled at Racing Point and for the first time in his career had a multi-year deal with the team, right as it planned to become Aston Martin and the injection of cash from owner Lawrence Stroll showed the ambition of a future championship contender.
But, as Perez soon found out, contracts don’t mean a whole lot in Formula One.
Sebastian Vettel became a free agent following his exit from Ferrari and those in charge at Racing Point jumped at the chance to bring in a four-time world champion. Perez was left without a seat in F1.
Perez kept going in the 2020 season, crowing off a fourth place finish in the drivers standings by taking his first victory from 190 Grands Prix in Sakhir.
This result, and the astonishing performance that earned it, is said to be the moment when Christian Horner was convinced that Perez was the man to partner Verstappen.
Because Pierre Gasly and Alexander Albon just hadn’t done it for Red Bull. The Frenchman was nowhere near his teammate during the first half of the 2019 season and Albon never got too much closer during his 18 months in the cockpit.
With Perez available on the driver market, it was a no-brainer for Red Bull, given his experience and form.
However, the move went against the grain of Red Bull’s history. Perez was the first driver since Mark Webber to not come through their driver academy.
“It was a tremendously difficult decision and one we were fortunate to have time to be able to fully consider — the whole season in fact,” said Horner.
“And it’s highly unusual for a driver of Sergio’s quality and ability to be on the market. So we just felt we would be better placed putting in a more experienced driver alongside Max as we head into 2021.
“I think it was a grown-up view that we took to go outside of the scheme and give Sergio a chance. Obviously he drove so well last year — particularly in the last third of the season.
“He’s got 10 years’ worth of Formula 1 experience, I think he’s demonstrated his ability to maximise the Pirelli tyre.
“And, of course, he just brings a whole host of experience — of the podiums he’s achieved and results he’s achieved in cars that have, until last year, been far from competitive.”
This was the opportunity Perez never thought he could get again. In F1, there are usually no second chances.
Six races in the 2021 season and it is now fair to say that the gamble is starting to pay off.
The 31-year old finds himself third in the championship, while Red Bull lead Mercedes.
Perez certainly struggled at first, but never to the extent of the junior drivers that preceded him. A fifth place finish in Bahrain, despite starting from the pit lane, was a great recovery drive. He out-qualified Verstappen in the second race in Imola too, which neither Gasly or Albon ever managed.
A fourth place in Portimao was about as good a result as he could’ve gotten, but poor qualifying performances in Spain and Monaco meant his points scoring potential was limited to only fifth and fourth.
But Perez was adamant that he wouldn’t need too much time to adapt to his new surroundings and the new car.
“We had not a lot of time, it’s been definitely the shortest pre-season I’ve done in my career,” Perez said.
“I still have a lot of things to learn in the car, to get the maximum out of it. But the best I can do is just to be patient, and take the first races as they come.
“I will get more on top of things in the team. For Now, I just have to be patient, and together with my engineers, we just have to keep working very hard.”
Perez was asked pre-season how long he expected it to take to adapt to his new environment.
“It’s hard to think — after races, once we go through very different races, different conditions, you understand the car, the team, a lot better,” Perez responded
“Five races, proper races, should be good.”
Perez said five races were needed and in his sixth race he claimed his first victory of the 2021 season, his first with the team and the second of his F1 career.
The manner of the victory was both fortuitous but also well earned. Perez started the race sixth on the grid, but worked his way up to third by the time the pit window opened for the front-runners.
An extremely impressive in-lap meant he had a chance to not just overcut Lewis Hamilton but also his teammate. Unfortunately a poor pit stop cost him the chance of the race lead, but most crucially he came out ahead of the Mercedes driver.
Perez managed to withhold the pressure from Hamilton thereon in. Not many drivers on the grid can handle that kind of mental demand needed to keep a seven-time world champion behind.
This was exactly what Red Bull had been missing in their second driver since Daniel Ricciardo left the team in 2018.
Most importantly of all, when Verstappen’s left rear tyre exploded causing him to retire from the race, Perez seized the moment and took that race win. This was despite having to manage a hydraulics issue that could’ve ended his race prematurely.
It was such an impressive performance and it helped Red Bull extend their championship lead by 25 points over Mercedes.
When Verstappen wasn’t there, Perez collected the scraps and took home the points for the team.
This is now a new Red Bull, a team with two drivers who can both take it to Hamilton. Meanwhile, Valtteri Bottas has started to struggle in the other Mercedes. How the tables have turned.
With Perez and Verstappen now behind the wheels together, Red Bull finally look set to challenge the dominant Mercedes and they might just take their crown back, eight years later.
