F1 News: Helmut Marko Slams Sergio Perez - 'He Completely Collapsed' During Belgian Grand Prix

Alex Harrington | Jul 28, 2024

Sergio Perez of Mexico and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Consultant Dr Helmut Marko look on in the garage prior to Sprint Qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 28, 2024 in Spielberg, Austria. / Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images

In a candid assessment following the Belgian Grand Prix, Helmut Marko, consultant for Red Bull Racing, did not mince words about Sergio Perez's performance, This harsh critique came during an interview with ServusTV, juxtaposing Perez’s lackluster race against the backdrop of teammate Max Verstappen’s notable climb from an 11th-place start to a fifth-place finish.

Perez, who began the race from the front row, faltered and finished in a distant eighth. He cited several issues, including a challenging car balance, problematic tire management, and a faltering hybrid system which noticeably impaired his speed on the straights.

"I was just struggling a lot on the straights. I don't know what was going on, but I had to save the battery early on in the first couple of laps," Perez explained.

Reflecting on his race day struggles, the Mexican driver acknowledged:

"It was a very disappointing race. It started well, I have to say. But then the second stint, jumping onto the new tyre with all the traffic behind, it just made it really, really difficult, very tricky," he added, pointing out that the strategy left him "out of sync".

"That is not what we expected from him. He completely collapsed, especially in the last stint," Marko said.

On the other side of the garage, Verstappen's race was better, but not perfect. "We were negatively surprised," the consultant continued. "It turned out that overtaking was just as difficult as in Hungary.

"The positive thing is that we have gained two points on Lando again."

The scrutiny of Perez's role within Red Bull has intensified, particularly as Marko hinted at a potential reassessment of the team’s driver lineup during the F1 summer break. Amidst ongoing speculation about his future with the team, Perez remained resolute, refusing to engage further in discussions about his career trajectory with the Milton Keynes squad.

“It doesn't change anything...So this is the last time I will speak about the future,” he declared.