Red Bull deny Max Verstappen conspiracy claims as Perez struggles

Sergio Perez extends contract with Red Bull Racing until 2024

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Max Verstappen has not been deliberately advantaged at Red Bull despite Sergio Perez struggled with the team’s updates, according to technical director Pierre Wache. Wache stressed the team did not favour the Dutchman on purpose with any benefit for Verstappen just a side-effect of developing the car.

He revealed Red Bull were still looking to find a way to help Perez as the Mexican continues to struggle to find form. He said: “You know, when we develop the car, then you go for the best performance development it is suiting more Max, but it was not the purpose of the development. It was more developing the car.

“The weight is an aspect, for sure, but it’s part of the set-up of the car. At the beginning of the season, we didn’t have the possibility to move the weight, then it’s part of the set-up. I think it’s everything together and after you find your performance somewhere, and it’s a little bit more tricky to set up the car.

“It went in the favour of Max. I think he’s able to drive any car. Now we have to find a way to give a car for Sergio to be performing and to compete.”

It comes after Jacques Villeneuve also suggested Red Bull had not impacted Perez’s progress on purpose but noted that the upgrades appear more suited to Verstappen. He commented: “Sergio Perez has lost his mojo a bit since Monaco, really strange.

“He is having a hard time since the car has been fitted with adjustments, as if they work better with Verstappen’s driving style. Before that it was the other way around, which is different. That may be because Verstappen is more involved, although it is not the case that people say ‘Now we are going to develop updates that make Verstappen drive better and Perez not.”

Perez looked like he could challenge Verstappen in the opening phase of the season after a superb start. He secured pole position at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and took victory in Monaco just weeks later which saw him offered a new Red Bull contract.

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After taking the historic win, Perez sat just 15 points off Verstappen and was touted as a possible championship challenger. However, he suffered two retirements in four races with issues in Canada and Austria denting his title bid.

Perez then struggled from the French Grand Prix and has only secured one podium in five races. It has left the 32-year-old a staggering 125 points behind his team-mate who has stormed to 11 wins this season.

The Mexican admitted he was struggling to manage Red Bull’s upgrades ahead of the British Grand Prix this summer. He explained: “I think the development of the car has been… I haven’t been as comfortable with it as I was in the beginning. Let’s put it that way. So, I think I’ve got some work to do to understand what’s going on.”

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