Sergio Perez achieved a top-three finish at the Chinese Grand Prix, trailing his teammate by almost a full pitstop.
Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen (via IMAGO)
Since joining the Red Bull team, Perez has faced intense scrutiny for not matching the performance of the reigning champion. This debate reached a new level at the Chinese GP when Perez was unable to overtake his teammate for second place. F1 pundit Ted Kravitz has come to Perez’s defense, suggesting that the RB20 car is designed to favor Verstappen’s driving style.
During the Chinese GP, Red Bull expected to secure a 1-2 finish after locking out the front row. However, Perez was unable to pass Lando Norris, who was on a one-stop strategy, and had to settle for third place. This performance gap between Perez and Verstappen led to calls for Perez to be removed from the team.
However, Ted Kravitz supported Perez and explained why his performance may have appeared lackluster compared to his world-champion teammate.
According to Kravitz, the RB20 car is designed to maximize Verstappen’s comfort in the car. It is widely known in the paddock that Verstappen prefers a car with oversteer, while Perez prefers a car with understeer. This creates a challenge for the designers to create a car that suits both drivers. However, Kravitz suggests that the team prioritizes Verstappen’s preferences due to his status as the reigning champion.
Perez was consistently lapping around six-tenths of a second slower than Verstappen in China. This raised concerns about his performance, which were confirmed when he lost second place to McLaren’s Norris. However, Perez remained unfazed and attributed his setback to the timing of the safety car.
Perez explained that he was caught off guard by the safety car because he had just completed his pitstop. This resulted in him losing two positions to his rivals. Additionally, he struggled to get the hard tires into the optimal operating window, which caused a loss of grip and ultimately cost him second place.
Despite the disappointment in China, Perez remains confident that the upcoming race in Miami will be better for him. His team principal also has faith in him, so Perez will aim to address his weaknesses and gain a confidence boost for the next race.