After Max Verstappen secured his fourth World Championship crown at Las Vegas’ Grand Prix of Las Vegas on Sunday, Sergio Perez came up short by finishing 10th overall for Red Bull Racing. Helmut Marko of Red Bull stressed the need for both drivers to finish consistently within the points, thus emphasizing their lack of progress this year in comparison with Verstappen.
Red Bull’s Constructors Championship Hopes Diminish
Red Bull Racing’s focus has remained primarily on promoting their own drivers as Franco Colapinto loses favor within the team, such as Yuki Tsunoda overtaking Perez to finish 9th at Las Vegas to bolster his case for promotion by Red Bull despite previous hesitation over doing so. Marko’s comments show the significance of maintaining an extensive driver roster supporting Verstappen.
Despite celebrating Verstappen’s championship victory, Marko pointed out the significant point gap between Verstappen and Perez, emphasizing the team’s disappointing performance in the constructors’ championship. This shortfall not only impacts the team’s standing but also affects employee bonuses tied to their constructors’ championship results.
Perez Faces Increased Scrutiny
Perez has struggled since Miami Grand Prix to secure top finishes, with his best result outside of the top 5 since. If he had maximized his performance Red Bull may have gained ground over McLaren. Meanwhile Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson are showing that Red Bull can capitalize on them to boost its standings position.
Christian Horner has played an integral part in Red Bull’s challenge for the constructors’ title with his unwillingness to alter its driver lineup alongside Verstappen. But with competition intensifying this year, Red Bull must now make hard choices about their team composition in preparation for 2018.