Red Bull’s Helmut Marko says Perez ‘needs a team change’

While Marko said that Perez and the team are mutually aware he is “in a crisis”, he stressed that the team is still supporting him through his recent struggles.

[autotag]Sergio Perez[/autotag]’s days at Red Bull may be far more numbered than many expected.

Perez has struggled for most of the 2023 Formula 1 season in the fastest car on the grid, paling in comparison to his teammate in Max Verstappen. Perez remains second in the World Driver’s Championship with 224 points, but he’s only 30 points ahead of Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton with five races to go. Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko recently spoke to Austrian publication oe24 about Perez, and he addressed prior statements that former F1 driver Gerhard Berger said recently indicating that he believed Perez should leave Red Bull for another team.

Here is what Marko had to say about Perez:

“You mustn’t forget: I brought Perez into the team back then. But that is simply the fate with Verstappen that he is suffering now. That was already the case with Gasly. Seen this way, [Gerhard] Berger’s statement is the right one: Perez needs a climate and team change. Now let’s see how the next two races go. But the team and he are aware that they are in a crisis.”

Despite the scathing words, Marko also indicated that his relationship with Perez is a good one and that the team is attempting to help him “get the best out of it without looking at Verstappen.” He also noted that the upcoming races in Austin, Texas, and Mexico City could be a return to form for him as the season winds down to a close.

If Perez were to be replaced, there are a few potential candidates the team could seek out in the short term. Daniel Ricciardo, Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson are three drivers signed to Red Bull with Formula 1 experience, and it’s entirely possible that the team could look outside of its own academy once again.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]