2016 Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg believes Sergio Perez has “disappointed the fans” with the slump that has “made it too easy” for Max Verstappen in 2023.
Perez began the year impressively by claiming victory in two of the opening four races, drawing to within a single point of his team-mate in the Drivers’ Championship.
However, Perez has not won a race since. Instead, the Mexican has failed to progress to Q3 on eight occasions in qualifying and dropped a sizeable 209 points behind Verstappen, who wrapped up the title last time out in Qatar with five races to spare.
Perez has only accumulated five points across the past three race weekends, placing him under threat of losing second and increasing the pressure on his Red Bull seat.
Rosberg, who suggested Alex Albon as a possible replacement, insists that Red Bull faces a massive conundrum regarding Perez’s future beyond the end of this year.
“First of all, I feel sympathy for him. It’s horrible to be in his situation,” Rosberg told the Sky Sports F1 podcast.
“Now he is facing a lot of pressure and everyone on social media is criticizing him. Qatar was another very bad weekend. Red Bull really needs to think carefully about its position,” he insists.
“It’s a big headache for Red Bull, because the team needs two good drivers. Sergio is not really performing to the best of his abilities.
“I don’t understand how it’s so far from that. Maybe it’s because Verstappen is so spectacular; but still, the gap is too big.
He added: “Formula 1 fans were looking for a bit of excitement in him. He disappointed the fans in a way, because he made it too easy for Verstappen.”
After enduring a torrid weekend in Qatar, Perez concedes he must “get back to my best” ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix commencing a triple header.
The 33-year-old reveals that he spent the temporary break between rounds trying to get on top of his recent troubles with his engineers at Red Bull’s Milton Keynes base.
“I’m looking forward to the next few weeks of racing,” Perez previewed. “Austin and Mexico are two of my favourite weeks of the year, I have such incredible support in both places and that means a lot to me. Even when you can’t hear it in the car, you can feel it.
“I know I have to get back to my best at COTA, it’s a fun circuit to drive and I am confident we can perform there.
“I was in Milton Keynes last week working very hard with the Team to ensure we are as best prepared as possible for the coming weeks.
“We had some good conversations and I spent time with my engineers to ensure we know where we have been going right, where things have gone wrong and how we can improve.”
