Marko: Perez’s Struggles Are “Psychological”

Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko has stated that Sergio Perez’s recent struggles in Formula 1 are not attributable to the car but to “psychological” factors. This accolade came after Perez was eliminated in the first half of qualifying for the second race in a row, finishing only 16th in the Canadian Grand Prix.

Perez’s performance has been inconsistent in recent races, marking a negative turn compared to the start of the season when the Mexican started all of the first six races inside the top six. However, since the Miami Grand Prix, he has failed to qualify in the top ten. His Q1 exit in Monaco, followed by another poor performance in Canada, raised concerns within the team.

Max Verstappen, his Red Bull teammate, managed to qualify second in Canada, narrowly missing out on pole position to Mercedes’ George Russell. This contrast in performance between the two drivers from the same team reinforced Marco’s thesis that Perez’s problems are more mental than technical. “It’s not the car; you can see that with Max. I think it’s more psychological,” Marko told ServusTV. “It was tight, and when the conditions change, he has a lot more difficulty. But the fact that it’s already the third time [from Q3] is painful.”

Perez was close to advancing in Q2 but was overtaken by Williams’ Alex Albon in the final minute of Q1. The Mexican admitted he was unable to get his tyres to work properly, describing his qualifying as a “total disaster.” “Mainly, the problem was with the rear axle,” Perez told F1TV. “It looked a little worse.” He added, “I think it was a very strange feeling for a lot of cars out there. For us, I just couldn’t activate the tire. It took a long time to activate the tyre. It was a total disaster. I think when we went to the end, I just couldn’t get the lap right.”

Marco’s words show that the team recognises Perez’s technical ability but understands that he needs to overcome his mental barriers to regain his competitive form. Verstappen’s performance, in contrast, shows that the Red Bull car has the potential to be at the front regardless of the conditions.

Pressure is mounting on Perez to resolve his psychological issues and return to contribute meaningfully to Red Bull’s efforts this season. With the championship underway, it is essential that he finds a way to regain his confidence and consistency. The team continues to monitor the situation closely, with the hope that Perez will find his rhythm again and compete for the top positions again.

Ultimately, Perez’s situation serves as a reminder of the importance of the mental aspect of high-performance sports. As Red Bull works to support its drivers, the focus will be on how Perez deals with these difficulties and recovers for the upcoming races.