Jonas Leo
Former Red Bull Racing driver Sergio Perez has shed light on the unequivocal team philosophy he encountered upon joining the Milton Keynes outfit, recounting a blunt assessment from then-team principal Christian Horner regarding the hierarchy within the squad. Speaking on the High Performance podcast, Perez, who transitioned to Cadillac in 2026 following a year-long sabbatical from Formula 1, revealed that Horner informed him Red Bull operated a second car merely out of regulatory necessity, with an overt preference for competing solely with Max Verstappen. This candid admission underscores the formidable challenge faced by any driver partnering the Dutchman at Red Bull, a dynamic that profoundly shaped Perez’s four-season tenure from 2021 to 2024.
Perez recounted Horner’s initial message: "The first time I met Christian, he told me, ‘We go racing with two cars because we have to, otherwise we would be super happy just to race with one car. Everything is for Max, around Max. We want to win the championship.’" This statement, delivered to Perez ahead of his inaugural season with the team, laid bare the foundational strategy of Red Bull Racing: a singular focus on optimizing performance for Verstappen, then a one-time world champion but now a formidable four-time title winner. For Perez, this understanding served as a clear directive, influencing his approach to his role. "So it’s why I said [to myself], look, I come here, and I make the most of it in all regards. And it’s what I did," he explained, reflecting on his determination to maximize his opportunities despite the evident bias.
Perez’s arrival at Red Bull in 2021 marked a significant turning point in his Formula 1 career. Having spent seven seasons with Force India/Racing Point (now Aston Martin), where he secured a maiden Grand Prix victory at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, Perez was recruited to provide a stable, experienced partner for Verstappen. Red Bull had cycled through Pierre Gasly and Alexander Albon in the second seat in 2019 and 2020, respectively, both struggling to match Verstappen’s pace and provide consistent support for the constructors’ championship challenge against Mercedes. Perez’s task was clear: to deliver points, provide strategic flexibility, and, crucially, to act as a buffer against rival teams, particularly Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, to aid Verstappen’s championship aspirations.
His first season, 2021, saw him contribute significantly to Verstappen’s maiden world championship title. Perez secured a memorable victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, skillfully defending against Hamilton in the final laps, and played a pivotal role in the dramatic Abu Dhabi season finale, holding up Hamilton for crucial laps to allow Verstappen to close the gap. While he finished fourth in the Drivers’ Championship with 190 points to Verstappen’s 395.5, his contributions were instrumental in Red Bull’s fierce constructors’ battle, where they ultimately finished second to Mercedes by just 28 points. His ability to perform on race day and manage tires was often highlighted as a key asset.
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The 2022 season saw a stronger start for Perez, who took a dominant victory at the Monaco Grand Prix and appeared, for a period, to be a genuine title contender. However, as the season progressed and Red Bull introduced technical upgrades, a familiar pattern emerged. Perez noted that "the gap between him and his team-mate at the time only widened when technical upgrades were introduced." This observation aligns with common perceptions within the paddock that Red Bull’s car development, often spearheaded by the legendary Adrian Newey, tended to favor Verstappen’s unique driving style. By the end of 2022, Perez finished third in the Drivers’ Championship with 305 points, while Verstappen secured his second consecutive title with 454 points, marking a significant performance disparity in the latter half of the season. Despite this, their combined efforts secured Red Bull the Constructors’ Championship with a commanding lead.
The 2023 season presented a similar narrative. Perez began strongly, clinching victories in the Saudi Arabian and Azerbaijan Grands Prix, briefly fueling speculation of a tighter internal battle. However, his form dipped noticeably mid-season, characterized by a series of qualifying struggles and inconsistent race performances, particularly after the introduction of further car developments. Verstappen, meanwhile, embarked on a record-breaking dominant run, securing his third world championship with an unprecedented 19 victories out of 22 races. Perez ultimately finished second in the Drivers’ Championship with 285 points, a considerable distance from Verstappen’s 575, though this marked Red Bull’s first-ever one-two finish in the championship standings.
Reflecting on his time at Red Bull, Perez asserted, "I think I overdelivered in all areas over there. It worked out perfectly." This claim speaks to the immense pressure and the specific expectations placed upon him as Verstappen’s teammate. Beyond individual victories and podiums, his role in securing two Constructors’ Championships (2022, 2023) and aiding Verstappen’s three Drivers’ Championships (2021, 2022, 2023) during his tenure underscores the value of his contributions, even if they were often overshadowed by his teammate’s unparalleled success. Perez’s capacity to score crucial points and occasionally challenge rivals was vital in maintaining Red Bull’s competitive edge.
Perez also touched upon the internal environment during his final season, indicating a period of heightened tension. "Of course, there were some very tough times, very tough periods towards the end as well. The pressure and everyone internally… We had too much success. So people got bored, I think, and they were fighting each other and all the drama around the end, but they were four fantastic years." While not elaborating on specific incidents, this candid observation hints at the complex dynamics within a dominant F1 team, where sustained success can sometimes breed internal friction or complacency.
His departure from Red Bull at the end of the 2024 season, followed by a year out of competitive racing, ultimately led him to a new chapter with Cadillac in 2026. This move, likely within endurance racing such as the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), signifies a strategic career shift for the veteran driver. In the wake of his exit, Red Bull’s driver rotations saw Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda, and Isack Hadjar partnering Verstappen, indicating the ongoing challenge of finding a consistently performing second driver who can thrive within the team’s established structure. Lawson and Tsunoda are current F1 talents, while Hadjar is a rising star in Formula 2, suggesting a continued search for the ideal complement to Verstappen’s prowess.
Despite the inherent challenges and the explicit "Max-centric" approach, Perez maintained a professional and appreciative stance. While acknowledging that Horner and motorsport adviser Helmut Marko were genuinely pleased with his race victories, he affirmed that the overall priority remained unchanged. Looking back, Perez expressed gratitude for the opportunity: "I overdelivered, and only once I left and they brought in all the other drivers did they realise the job that I have done for them over four years." He also pondered the hypothetical question of whether Red Bull could have secured the 2025 Constructors’ Championship had he remained, stating, "Well, you never know." Crucially, he emphasized the importance of maintaining positive relationships: "For me on a personal level, I’m still big friends with everyone at Red Bull, everyone at Aston Martin. That’s also very important. I kept my credibility and my gratitude to all of them. Red Bull transformed my career. Aston Martin/Racing Point gave me a massive opportunity. So at the end of the day, this is a business and you have to play it."
Perez’s revelations offer a rare, unfiltered glimpse into the operational realities of one of Formula 1’s most successful teams. His account reinforces the often-brutal nature of elite motorsport, where individual ambitions frequently align with, but can also be subsumed by, overarching team objectives, particularly when centered around a generational talent like Max Verstappen. His tenure, characterized by both personal triumphs and the steadfast execution of a supportive role, stands as a testament to navigating a demanding environment with resilience and strategic understanding.
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Author Profile
- Jonas Leo is a passionate motorsport journalist and lifelong Formula 1 enthusiast. With a sharp eye for race strategy and driver performance, he brings readers closer to the world of Grand Prix racing through in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive paddock insights. Jonas has covered everything from preseason testing to dramatic title deciders, capturing the emotion and precision that define modern F1. When he’s not tracking lap times or pit stop tactics, he enjoys exploring classic racing archives and writing about the evolution of F1 technology.
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