At Imola, Sergio Perez appears unimpressed while conversing with Red Bull engineers.
Christijan Albers is baffled that Red Bull’s management “don’t see” that Sergio Perez cannot help Max Verstappen in the midst of McLaren’s charge.
Lando Norris, showcasing their enhanced performance after the Miami upgrades, emerged as the standout team in recent times. Not only did Norris outpace Verstappen to claim victory in the race on that particular Sunday, but they also came close to securing a consecutive win in Imola.
Sergio Perez ‘a problem’ for Red Bull
Norris was almost able to catch Verstappen in the final laps of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, falling just 0.725s short of claiming victory.
In both the Miami and Imola races, Red Bull also had to keep an eye on Norris’ team-mate Oscar Piastri with the Aussie the stronger of the McLaren team-mates before the Safety Car in Miami.
However, Piastri lost his front row grid slot in Imola due to a penalty for impeding. On the other hand, Perez had an even worse day as he was eliminated from qualifying in Q2.
Max Verstappen is winning the Red Bull team-mate war
F1 2024: Head-to-head qualifying record between team-mates
F1 2024: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates
Despite his efforts, he failed to make a comeback and ultimately finished in eighth place. Verstappen, on the other hand, narrowly secured the victory, just ahead of the rapidly advancing Norris.
With Red Bull’s rivals narrowing the gap, Albers sees Perez’s pace, or rather the lack thereof, as a current issue.
“This is exactly what we’ve always talked about. If Red Bull is not competitive, then you simply have a problem with such a team-mate,” the former F1 driver told De Telegraaf podcast.
“I’m always surprised that they [Red Bull bosses] don’t see that. I wonder how that analysis is done internally at Red Bull.”
Christijan Albers: Then you really have a problem
Albers believes that Perez’s lack of speed was not a significant issue in the past, as Red Bull’s car used to outpace the competition by a considerable margin.
However, it has become a problem now that McLaren and Ferrari, to some extent, have caught up.
“He said that you consistently had that advantage because you have successfully built a high-quality car,” he continued. “With Max leading the pack and the potential for Perez to also secure a spot on the front row.”
“Well, it is not uncommon for him to be ranked fourth or fifth.”
However, once you find yourself no longer in such a privileged position, which I have been warning about for two or three seasons now, it becomes evident that you are facing a significant issue.
Once you notice his lack of speed, you realize that he has disappeared without a trace, leaving you in a serious predicament.
“One driver secures the top spot in qualifying, while the other settles for the eleventh position. The difference is not just minimal, but rather excessive.”
Christian Horner: It’s just a bump
Albers may be worried about Red Bull’s fate, but team boss Christian Horner billed Perez’s Imola troubles as a “bump”.
After Sunday’s race, he informed the media, including PlanetF1.com, that he considers it merely a minor setback. He suggested waiting for the upcoming Monaco race to confirm his statement before departing Europe once more.
In my opinion, it’s merely a temporary setback. Historically, he has performed exceptionally in Monaco, so let’s wait and see.
There are a total of 24 races on the calendar. He has had an excellent beginning to the year, displaying a strong approach. This year, he has made some adjustments to his approach.
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