Sergio Perez pointed to the fate of his Red Bull successor, approaching his return to Formula 1.
Perez lost the Red Bull race seat after a long period of poor performance at the end of last season.
Liam Lawson was thrown alongside Max Verstappen, but lasted only two disastrous Grands Prix in early 2025.
Tsunoda was in the second Red Bull since then, but was poorly poor, and there is speculation about whether they’ll make a lineup of F1 2026 drivers.
Red Bull’s second seat is famous for biting and vomiting good drivers, including Alex Albon, even in front of Perez.
Sergio Perez points out Red Bull’s “development curve”
Perez, Verstappen
Sergio Perez will drive back to Cadillac in 2026, but I wondered why he doesn’t have a hard time dealing with the second Red Bull car.
“I think it’s the whole team dynamic,” Perez told Sky Sports why the role is so challenging.
“Everything is driven… Obviously, they have a unique talent full of Max and everything, and once you get there, the development curve they have is very difficult for the second driver who is basically there to adapt to the car.
“It’s a very unique car, a very unique driving style that has been able to survive for many years, but it’s difficult and the way it works and I’ve seen it before my time or even after my time with a great driver.
“I think Yuki and Liam got (7) points and more.
“So it’s very difficult, very difficult, and they’re great drivers, you know, but that’s how you drive it.”
Perez’s inability to score points frequently last season was a key reason for Red Bull’s recognition of the Constructors’ championship to McLaren.
But even if Perez is seen by the sidelines, Red Bull’s light-like form is even worse.
Their RB21 is extremely problematic this season, even for Verstappen, who is 97 points from championship leader Oscar Piastri.
It threw a new light on what Perez achieved with Red Bull and how his time ended.
At his peak he was a valuable No. 2 driver and a brilliant defense against Lewis Hamilton at the infamous Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2021, helping Verstappen win his first F1 title.
After a season away from the grid, Perez and Valtteri Bottas were signed up as Cadillac drivers.
His experience and potential to manipulate development are important reasons why Perez stood out against the latest F1 team.
There are doubts about the second driver of Red Bull and the car’s competitiveness when F1 2026 regulations begin.