Red Bull has explained that it plans to ensure that both drivers can tap into its 2024 Formula 1 car’s potential as it bids to help Sergio Perez overcome his recent woes.
Despite beginning the season on a promising note with four podiums in five races, Perez has since endured a slump which has seen him log 28 points in eight rounds.
The Mexican’s struggles have come at a point when the pack has converged on Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s exploits are no longer enough to protect its advantage.
But although the team’s senior management evaluated his position earlier this month as McLaren is now 42 points behind, Red Bull has opted to give Perez a reprieve.
Verstappen, who upholds a substantial 78-point advantage, has been candid that he has been made to drive on the limit in recent months to extract pace from the car.
Red Bull Technical Director Pierre Wache has disclosed that the squad’s remaining upgrades will prioritise adding performance that Perez and Verstappen can exploit.
Asked whether Perez experiences more issues when the car becomes harder to drive, Wache told Autosport: “One part of the explanation can be that, that is correct.”
“What we want is the quickest car, but in a way that can be used by the drivers, that is the main aim.
“If we make the car quicker in a way that Checo can use it, that means that both drivers will be able to extract the maximum out of it.
“Even if both drivers have different needs or preferences, the requirements for the car are still very similar.
“Fundamentally it’s the same. For sure there can be differences in driving styles, but we will not use the development of the car for that. We will use the set-up of the car.”
Wache revealed that Red Bull has attempted to note “tendencies” to dissect Perez’s troubles, but replicating such traits on the simulator has proven a stumbling block.
“We try to see some tendencies, but it is very difficult to highlight them because last year he was struggling as well sometimes, so it is difficult for us to find,” Wache said.
“The main problem we have is that we try to reproduce the car and all these things in simulations, but it doesn’t mean that it simulates exactly what the car is doing in all conditions.
“The interaction with the tyres is very difficult to reproduce, even if we try our best. Improving these areas is an important part of our process.”
The Frenchman has admitted that issues with optimising the car’s balance under the current ground effect regulations have hindered Perez more than his team-mate.
“That is just a risk with these types of regulations,” he added. “It is what we have seen from some other teams as well.
“Mercedes for example have said that the balance was a big issue for them in previous years. Even McLaren had it at the beginning of this season.
“The balance with these cars is quite tricky to achieve, because if you create downforce in a specific area of the car that you cannot rebalance mechanically, then it is difficult to use that gain.”
