Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has made a clear statement refuting claims that Liberty Media forced the team to keep driver Sergio Perez.
Recently, rumors suggested that F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and the Liberty Media organization had pressured the team to keep the Mexican driver to maintain ticket sales for the upcoming Mexican Grand Prix, considering his strong popularity in his home country. However, Marko has confirmed in his recent Speedweek column that these allegations do not hold water.
Helmut Marko, known for his straightforwardness, addressed the rumor mill by stating:
“Reports that his continued commitment is due to Liberty Media’s desire for him to race in Mexico are not true.
“They certainly want him to race in his home race, but our choice of driver is not based on Liberty Media’s intentions.”
These comments came in the wake of Perez’s less-than-stellar performances this season, notably lagging 146 points behind team leader Max Verstappen and fueling skepticism about his place in the Milton Keynes team.
“Sergio will continue to drive the Red Bull Racing car after the summer break, as there are now races on tracks where he was good last year and we are counting on stability.”
Red Bull’s response to these speculations is grounded in a detailed assessment of the team’s needs and the technical challenges faced. Marko pointed out specific issues during the Spa race, noting:
“He was allowed to start from position two, and according to the calculations, third place would have been possible. But we saw that his tires had deteriorated significantly more.
“He couldn’t push, and on top of that, we only had two sets of medium tyres and one set of the hard compound, while the competition had two sets of hard and one set of medium tyres. That was perhaps a decisive point.”
He continued, addressing the driver’s weaknesses:
“He has also shown good performances from time to time. Pérez doesn’t need to get faster, just more consistent. And given the alternatives, he is still our best solution.”
Red Bull Racing appears to position itself not merely for immediate success but for long-term stability and growth, especially as several big names have recently left the team such as CTO Adrian Newey and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley.
2024 F1 Driver Standings As Of Summer Break
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