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Marko: "A lot has been taken out of context"
Sergio Perez is not going through the best of his career. The Mexican has not been on the podium in the past three races and also failed to make it to Q3 on three occasions. The Red Bull Racing driver still has a contract until the end of 2024, but things have to improve if he wants to serve out his contract. However, Helmut Marko is still giving him some time to prove himself (again).
Last week, Marko addressed the position of Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull's third driver, in the Austrian media. The Australian will go for a Pirelli test in an RB19 after the British Grand Prix, which will give the Milton Keynes-based team some data that will show how fast Ricciardo really is after his years at Renault/Alpine and McLaren.
"We will have Ricciardo in the car for three days after Silverstone for the tyre test, and then you can evaluate where Ricciardo really stands," Marko said. Immediately, rumours already surfaced that Perez would have to fear for his place if Ricciardo manages to convince his employer. Those rumours are not based on anything, said Red Bull's advisor.
Confidence in Perez
Marko at Kleine Zeitung: "A lot has been taken out of context. Daniel Ricciardo may be driving some tests, but that does not have much to do with the sporting side. Perez has had some very good races but also some very bad ones. He needs to step up and perform as well as he can. There is no need to dream about world titles," he has a clear message for his driver.