How do Perez’s struggles compare to Verstappen’s other F1 team-mates?

Sergio Perez’s Red Bull performances are under scrutiny once more amid his latest Formula 1 slump, but how do his struggles compare to Max Verstappen’s previous team-mates?

From qualifying less than a tenth off Verstappen on a true drivers’ circuit like Suzuka, Perez’s recent deficits to his team-mate are becoming a point of concern for Red Bull as rival teams pose a greater challenge.

Perez was brought into the fold in 2021 to finally find a new consistent wingman to Verstappen, who would bank podiums – and wins on his day – to help the team conquer the constructors’ world championship as well as the drivers’ titles.

By moving for the Mexican F1 veteran of 10 years, Red Bull chose reliable experience over the inconsistent promise of youngsters like Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon, who were both thrown into the deep end but struggled to stay afloat at the start of their F1 careers.

The choice for Perez initially seemed to pay off, but while Verstappen has managed to master Red Bull’s machinery, Perez has found it harder to extract the maximum out of its peaky cars, often struggling to find a comfortable balance in free practice which leaves him on the back foot for the rest of the weekend.

The 2024 season promised to shape up differently, with Perez doing exactly what Red Bull wanted by claiming three runner-up spots to Verstappen to start the year, which helped him earn a contract extension until 2026. But since Miami, Perez’s old mid-season slump has returned and he hasn’t found the podium since.

Last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix was another low point for Perez, qualifying eighth and finishing seventh in between the two Haas cars. Inevitably, Perez has copped plenty of flak for his performances, so how do they stack up to his predecessors as Verstappen’s team-mate?

Average qualifying gap between Verstappen and his team-mates