Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

Perez looks back at the race that could have rewritten his Red Bull chapter

15:01, 09 Jan

byTobia Elia

Sergio Perez has opened up about another chapter of his Red Bull stint, sharing an anecdote linked to the development of his car.

“What would have happened? Who knows. But I also believe things happen for a reason”

- Sergio Perez

The 2024 season proved to be the toughest of Perez’s career in terms of results and his head-to-head battle with Max Verstappen, as he managed just 152 points compared to his teammate’s 437. Despite being handed renewed backing over the summer, the Mexican was ultimately shown the door at the end of the season.

After a run of disappointing results in the first half of the season, the Mexican appeared to spring back to life in Baku, rediscovering his competitiveness and finding himself fighting for victory in the closing laps against the two Ferraris and Oscar Piastri.

In the end, a late-race collision with Carlos Sainz brought his hopes of glory to an abrupt end, and from the following race onwards he once again struggled with the RB20.

Photo: Race Pictures

Speaking on the Cracks Podcast, the Mexican revisited that very weekend: “The team modified the floor. They gave me a new floor with the updates Max had asked for, and they fitted it to my car. In practice at Baku I was a second quicker than everyone else once I had that floor.

“Everything was going really well. I qualified… well, I was in the fight for the race win. I was going to win that race, and then the crash with Sainz happened and the car was destroyed on the final lap.

“I never got to use that floor again because there simply wasn’t time. There were only a few races left. Development continued, but from that point on everything was focused on Max. From there, I was already two, three, four, five races behind, and I never had that car again.”

He finally added: “What would have happened? Who knows. But I also believe things happen for a reason.”

Perez lifts lid on eye-watering psychologist bill during Red Bull stint

Appearing on the same podcast, Perez recalled a specific moment early in his time at Red Bull, revealing that after a difficult run of results in the opening races, he was advised to see a psychologist — with Helmut Marko ultimately covering the cost of the session.

“One day I turned up at the Red Bull factory and they told me, ‘There’s a bill for you.’ It was £6,000 — from the psychologist. I said, ‘Can you send it to Helmut? He’s going to pay for it.’”

Read the whole story here.

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