'Perez made request to Red Bull to drive earlier RB19 version again'
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Sergio Perez is experiencing a difficult period in Formula 1 with Red Bull Racing. While teammate Max Verstappen is winning race after race, Perez has often struggled to reach the podium already. The Mexican has started to struggle with RB19 during the season and has therefore made a remarkable request.
Perez struggles in 2023
After the first four races, it looked for a while like Verstappen and Perez were going to fight for the world title together this season. Both Red Bull drivers had then won two races. However, that soon changed. Since the Miami Grand Prix - the fifth GP - the Mexican seems to have lost his form. In the five Grands Prix after the race in the United States, Perez did not reach Q3 once, while Verstappen captured pole position every time. As a result, the gap between Red Bull's two drivers grew at lightning speed and Perez could forget a battle for the world title with Verstappen.
'Perez wanted to drive earlier version RB19'
However, for Perez, the Miami Grand Prix was not the tipping point. Indeed, the usually well-informed Auto, Motor und Sport reports that the Mexican submitted a request to Red Bull to drive in the RB19 from before the Spanish Grand Prix. According to Perez, this Grand Prix was the tipping point of his season.
In Barcelona, Red Bull introduced a new floor for the RB19, but Perez said it did not suit his driving style. Therefore, Perez would like to go back to the version of the RB19 from the beginning of the season, but the Austrian constructor did not agree. The team would not want to go to a Grand Prix weekend with two different cars.