Max Verstappen Makes Revelation About Red Bull Teammate Swap

Saajan Jogia | Sep 5, 2024

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Jos Verstappen walk in the Paddock prior to practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on February 29, 2024 in Bahrain, Bahrain. / Clive Mason/Getty Images

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has expressed his satisfaction with racing alongside Sergio Perez, indicating that he sees no need for a new teammate. He insisted that Red Bull's focus should be on addressing other pressing issues, such as the imbalances in the RB20 F1 car, to maintain its lead in both championships.

During the mid-season Grands Prix, Perez experienced significant pressure as his performance declined, often failing to finish in the points. Meanwhile, his teammate Verstappen won seven of the first ten races of the current Formula 1 season.

Despite securing a contract extension with Red Bull for 2025 and 2026, Perez's chances of making it past the summer break appeared slim, especially with Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson waiting in line for a Red Bull seat.

However, team principal Christian Horner confirmed during the summer break that Perez's seat remains secure. It was only after the sport returned to the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort that Red Bull opened up about the car's problems, stemming from a mid-season upgrade that disturbed its balance by a large extent.

Verstappen finished second in his home race, trailing McLaren's Lando Norris by a massive 23 seconds at the finish line. In the race that followed at Monza, the Dutchman finished sixth, his worst finish in a long time, while Perez secured the eighth position.

With Norris trailing Verstappen by a mere 62 points in the Drivers' Standings, and with eight races to go, the three-time world champion revealed he was more concerned about Red Bull finding a solution to the car's problems than about his teammate, who as per Verstappen, is a "great racer." Speaking to Fox Sports, as reported by GPBlog.com, Verstappen said:

"I always said that right, it's all about stability and also how we feel in the team. And I said that at the summer break as well. I said I think we have other worries than having to think about the second car. For me that is not on the table.

"I want of course Checo to be my teammate. He's a great guy, we get on really well, plus he's a great racer. We luckily stuck to that, and now we're just trying to improve the car together."

Red Bull has secured seven victories out of the 16 Grands Prix so far, largely thanks to Verstappen. However, the resurgence of McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari has intensified the competition at the front. McLaren in particular has been a major challenge for Red Bull, with the Papaya team trailing by just eight points in the Constructors' Championship.