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Button thinks Red Bull should take action

Button thinks Red Bull should take action: 'It's a huge problem'

9 July at 18:00
  • Nicole Mulder

Jenson Button believes that if Sergio Perez does not look good in the next Formula 1 race in Hungary, Red Bull Racing should bid him farewell. The former F1 driver stressed that he does not even need to be directly behind Max Verstappen, but at least score good points.

Perez has just secured a new contract, yet his future with the Austrian F1 team is already in question. Since Red Bull no longer has the fastest car everywhere, the Mexican has struggled immensely with his RB20. Christian Horner and Helmut Marko are protecting Perez for now, but at the same time stress that the pressure is no less because he has a contract.

Button thinks Red Bull should take action

It was recently suggested that Red Bull should take action if Perez does not improve greatly before the summer break, but Button believes the team may have to tie that knot before then. "It's a huge problem. He had a terrible weekend. In some ways he was unlucky too - this doesn't happen every race weekend, but for McLaren to take so many points away from them is a huge problem," he told Sky Sports.

"He should at least score some points, even if he is not directly behind Max. They can't let it go on forever. I think if in the next race, he doesn't score any points again, they have to take him out of the car quickly and put someone else in. It's difficult, I know it's not a nice feeling for a driver, it's terrible, but for them the championship is important," the 2009 world champion stressed.

Perez failed to score any points in the British Grand Prix. A mistake in Q1 sent him into the gravel pit, after which Red Bull decided to change his engine and let him start from the pits. In the race, Perez was left two laps behind by the front-runners and did not progress beyond 17th place.

This article was written in collaboration with Sophia Crothall.