The start of the season Sergio Perez did not go unnoticed. After the first four races, the Mexican was there with Max Verstappen, his teammate and main contender to the world title. After a departure superlative of the Guadalajara pilot, his performances were very fluctuating, especially in qualification: while driving the RB19In fact, driver #11 didn't manage to get through to Q3 at all 5 times in a row. Numbers pitiful for the one who should have worried the Dutch lion, who in the last few races however seems in recovery. The two podiums obtained in Hungary and Spa these are excellent signs from Checo to maintain the second in the standings and help the Milton Keynes team win the builder title.
Contract reduced, Marko denies everything
The confidence problems highlighted by Perez certainly did not please the upper levels of the Austrian team. Helmut Marko, director of the youth section and consultant of the team (a bit like he was Lauda in Mercedes), is known to be very reckless in his decisions. This can be seen from the dismissal of Nick DeVries after the results not up to par with theAlpha Tauri. So seeing one of the two top riders do so badly must not have been great, enough to think of change Sergio's contract. The 33-year-old had recently signed a new contract with Red Bull until 2024, with an engagement quite important. The rumors circulating in the paddock therefore spoke of a salary cut to send a clear message: no one can consider themselves safe.
Perez contract, Marko: “An unrealistic question”
All this, however, was denied by the 80-year-old himself, who in an interview with the German channel Sport1 declared that this is a real one buffoonery: “I don't know where this rumor comes from. It's completely unrealistic. Contracts are strictly regulated. There will be no salary cuts. Perez was in a bit of a slump, but he recovered in the last two races. Verstappen is simply unbeatable right now. Perez can't beat him, but no other driver can. We have no reason to think about interventions that concern Perez".
What filters out from the garages of Milton Keynes is therefore tranquility and solidarity towards Perez, who can then find the confidence which led him to win that magnificent race in Sakhir in a 2020 and which almost certainly allowed him to land in a top team.
ARTICLE BY FRANCESCO ORLANDO
