Sergio Perez conquered second place in the Bahrain Grand Prix, finishing an impressive 22 seconds behind his teammate, Max Verstappen. Helmut Marko and Sergio Perez from Red Bull emerged victorious in the Bahrain GP last Sunday, after establishing a dominant lead over their rivals. This raised concerns about Perez’s ability to drive the RB20. However, Marko defended the 34-year-old driver in a recent interview, despite the significant time difference to Verstappen.
Perez qualified in fifth place for the race on Sunday, trailing behind two other drivers on the grid. As a result of this disappointing qualifying performance, the Mexican driver had to fight to move up. Throughout the race, Perez faced constant pressure from a faster opponent driving a slower car, finishing just two seconds behind him.
Marko, known for his tendency to change his mind even if a driver is just slightly behind, surprisingly defended Perez despite the large time difference. The octogenarian praised Perez for not being overshadowed by his three-time champion teammate and acknowledged the skills of the Dutchman. As a result, the future of the six-time Grand Prix winner in Milton Keynes remains uncertain, with the possibility of Daniel Ricciardo taking his place.
This race marked the first time Perez finished in second place since last year’s Italian Grand Prix. Despite this achievement, the Mexican driver was significantly behind his teammate, which must have been quite uncomfortable for him. Consequently, questions are being raised in the paddock about the minimum requirements for Perez to retain his place in the Red Bull team.
After the Bahrain GP, team principal Christian Horner stated that there are no specific goals set for Perez. However, he emphasized the need for Perez to perform at a level similar to Verstappen to contribute to the team’s success in the constructors’ championship.
Despite the challenges he faced, Sergio Perez remains eager to face his teammate in the upcoming race at the Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, a track he particularly enjoys. The paddock is now eagerly awaiting the race in Saudi Arabia and Perez’s performance in the formidable RB20.
