Sergio Perez’s “Worst” Season in F1 Draws Out Ultimate Betrayal From Mexico

Things haven’t been great for Sergio Perez lately. Despite a two-year Red Bull extension, Perez is failing to prove himself. The last time Sergio Perez stood on the podium this season was in Suzuka. Since then, his performance has degraded with every race. A DNF in Monaco after Kevin Magnussen crashed into him. Fans expected Sergio Perez to redeem himself at the Canadian Grand Prix. But, unfortunately, the exact opposite happened.

Another DNF in Montreal and a pending penalty in Spain have put Perez under serious criticism from fans and detractors. In Mexico, Perez is somewhat of a ‘folk hero’. After the Canadian Grand Prix, the Mexican media seems to have stopped ‘gatekeeping’ Perez. As bad a betrayal as it may seem, Mexicans aren’t happy with their home hero’s performance.

Has Sergio Perez fallen into dip form again?

Perez has always been under scrutiny for his inconsistency. In some races, he competes head-on with Max Verstappen, and in others, he displays mediocrity. One of Mexico’s biggest newspapers, Reforma, headlined, “Red Bull lives in two alternative universes.” Reforma further observed that Max Verstappen is striving to overcome the RB20’s shortcomings, while Sergio Perez is “all worries and no glories.” Since his last podium in the Japanese Grand Prix, Perez has failed to impress the audience with his performance.

Even Esto, known for being a fan of Perez, couldn’t ignore the debacle: “Sergio Perez, from bad to worse, he is heading for his worst season in Formula 1,” the headlines read. He had a brilliant start to the ongoing season. Secured podiums in the first few races and was second to Verstappen in the Driver’s Championship.

Esto further explained: “Checo’s performance so far is the worst if we consider what he has performed in other seasons with Red Bull after the same number of races.” Esto reported that what was supposed to be a promising weekend in Montreal ended in a debacle.

A massive dip from second to fifth on the Driver’s Championship table for Perez. Ever since his contract extension with Red Bull, many critics have wondered if it was the right decision. Sergio Perez’s consistent inconsistency put him on the pedestal of doubt. Not only the Mexican media but also experts, fans, and adversaries have also questioned his abilities.

Moreover, when Perez returns in form is another big question. His continuously falling performance hurts Red Bull’s place in the constructor’s championship. And not to forget, the two consecutive crashes have cost Red Bull immensely, which could affect further updates on the RB20 as the budget may not be sufficient.

Should Red Bull consider releasing Sergio Perez?

As the 2024 Formula 1 season proceeds, Perez continues to find himself in a dramatic run. Eighth in Imola, two DNFs in Monaco and Montreal, and an extended contract with Red Bull. Many times, fans have asked if Perez is worth investing in. They have also pointed out that the F1’s massive popularity in Mexico and specifically of Red Bull is the reason why they are not willing to let go of Perez so quickly.

Ex-Red Bull boss Frans Verschuur called out Red Bull, saying, “Get rid of that guy.” He believes that instead of crushing the dreams of Yuki Tsunoda, Daniel Ricciardo, and even Carlos Sainz Red Bull should be getting rid of Sergio Perez and giving somebody ‘capable’ a chance with the second RB20. According to Verschuur, Perez doesn’t add much value to Red Bull but instead causes damage.

How far a stretch these criticisms are is yet to be understood. It will be exciting to see what Perez does at the Spanish GP. With so much criticism from experts and even his homeland, it will be a spectacle if he succeeds in redeeming himself.