Marko has a special compliment for Perez: 'That's a record'
F1 News
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko is jumping into the breach for driver Sergio Perez. The Mexican is under pressure and has struggled in recent Grands Prix. The six-time race winner has failed to qualify for Q3 for five qualifying sessions in a row.
If Marko's words are to be believed, Perez does not have to worry much about his seat at Red Bull for now. "He has a contract until 2024," states the Austrian, who has a particular compliment for his driver while speaking to Sport.de. "He has already survived driving alongside Max Verstappen for two and a half years now, which is a record in itself."
Surviving alongside Verstappen
Former teammate Daniel Ricciardo lasted more than two-and-a-half years before seeking refuge at Renault. Pierre Gasly only got six months at Red Bull, and former teammate Alexander Albon was also not allowed to drive alongside the Dutchman for more than a year and a half. Marko does acknowledge that the Mexican has been disappointing during qualifying sessions, "but he compensates for that with very strong races."
Ricciardo will drive in Formula 1 again this weekend onwards for AlphaTauri. In doing so, he hopes to lay claim to a seat at Red Bull in the future, perhaps Perez's seat. The Red Bull advisor can appreciate his move: "His teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, is not a slow driver, so he is taking a big risk. But he is willing to take it."