F1 News
Is Perez's contract extension strange? Not at all, believes Hakkinen
- Ludo van Denderen
Surprise is all around about Sergio Perez 's new contract at Red Bull Racing, but not for Mika Hakkinen. Instead, the two-time world champion and current analyst finds it extremely understandable that the Austrian racing stable opted for a longer stay for the Mexican. "It’s important that drivers push each other in a team, but it’s also important that you have harmony," states the Finn at Unibet.
The last two races in Imola and Monaco were - to put it mildly - difficult for Perez. In the Grands Prix before that, the Mexican captured three second places and a third in China. Not for a moment this season did he manage to challenge teammate Verstappen. According to Hakkinen, that is precisely the reason why Perez should sign a new commitment.
'Teammates should not clash'
"It is really important that drivers do not come into conflict with each other because that can completely destroy a team," Hakkinen said, then referring to his own F1 career. The Finn had fast teammates, but by being precisely the fastest of the two, he naturally ensured, for example, that he would get the optimal strategy and the focal point in developments to the car.
"This is why, over time, a team can start to look like it is favouring one driver over the other. In reality all that’s happening is that the quicker driver is generating the performance and data which is driving the team’s development," Hakkinen concludes.
Alpine the opposite example
Where the Finn understands that Perez is staying on, he also understands that Alpine just said goodbye to Esteban Ocon. This was a striking example of the disappearance of harmony between the two drivers, and it is therefore wise to let either of them go, Hakkinen said.
This article was written in collaboration with Sophia Crothall.