'This Project Was Created For Max Verstappen': Sergio Perez Calls Out The 'Worst Job In Formula 1' And Reduces Red Bull Racing To Shreds

Red Bull Racing F1 are now seemingly in calmer waters with Laurent Mekies now leading the Milton Keynes outfit as their team principal. A different sight from the Horner-led era of Red Bull which came with multiple world championships. Namely 8 World Drivers' Championships and 6 World Constructors' Championships across 21 seasons with 124 Grand Prix wins, 107 pole positions and a mammoth total of 287 podium finishes.

However, the team in recent years has been on a downward slide ever since Max Verstappen won his 4th world championship at the end of 2024. However, the start of 2025 saw the release of their long-standing second driver, Sergio Perez. The team would then see their subsequent 2nd drivers, Liam Lawson and then Yuki Tsunoda, languish at the far end of the grid.

ALSO READ | Helmut Marko Officially Retires From F1 At 82, Veteran Adviser Ends 20-Year Association With Red Bull Racing

'A Very Complicated Team': Sergio Perez On His 4 Years At Red Bull

Seemingly, the Red Bull second car was the problem and gradually snowballed into a controversial machine, with it being more suited to the driving style of the 4-time world champion rather than being more balanced. A fact that Sergio Perez touched upon in his recent interview. Perez also shed light on the problems going on at Red Bull during the time.

'I knew what I was getting into at Red Bull. During my first discussion with Christian [Horner], he told me that we're going to race with two cars because we have to have two cars, but this project was created for Max, he's our talent. I was in the best team, a very complicated team. Being Max's teammate is already very difficult, but being Max's teammate at Red Bull is the worst job in Formula 1,' Perez said in the Oso Trava Podcast.

Team Before Challenging Circumstances: The Perez vs Red Bull Saga

But Christian Horner would offer Perez a contract extension in the middle of the 2024 F1 season. With Perez thinking his role was already secured, the internal problems at Red Bull would subsequently prove otherwise. Given how things turned out, Perez would never speak ill of his former team.

He instead sought to explain the turmoil that he found himself in and how it was a high-pressure scenario. In this interview, he also went on to reiterate on the dreaded feeling of never being able to satisfy his former employer, regardless of his efforts and performances.

‘The team complained about everything. At Red Bull, everything was a problem. If I was faster, it was a problem and it created a very tense environment. If I was slower than Max, that was also a problem. I understood that these were the circumstances I was working in and, instead of complaining, I tried to make the best of it,’ added the 35-year-old Perez, aka the 'Mexican Minister of Defense'.

ALSO READ | Pole For Max Verstappen At The F1 Title-Deciding Abu Dhabi GP; Lando Norris & Oscar Piastri Close Behind

2026 F1 Season: Red Bull Racing's Litmus Test

However, 2026 looks very different for Red Bull Racing F1 with the successive departures of Christian Horner and Helmut Marko and a new teammate for Verstappen coming in for this year, in the form of Isack Hadjar. Previously for Red Bull, Sergio Perez achieved 5 race wins, 3 pole positions and 29 podiums in his 4-year stint with the team.

He returns to Formula 1 this year with the all-new Cadillac F1 team alongside the former Mercedes driver, Valterri Bottas, as they look to get the new team off to a great start in the world of F1.

(This article has been curated by Siddhant Bhattacharjee)