Sergio Perez gives harsh review of Red Bull F1 stint: ‘Everything was a problem’

Former Red Bull Formula 1 driver Sergio Perez says “everything was a problem” when he was with the team, including when he would beat Max Verstappen.

The 35-year-old signed for Red Bull for the 2021 season, having faced an uncertain future towards the end of 2020 despite scoring a maiden victory in Bahrain.

He struggled to match team-mate Max Verstappen’s level in 2021, but scored a victory for Red Bull in Azerbaijan on his way to fourth in the standings.

He was a more consistent podium challenger in 2022, winning twice and finishing third in the championship, before ending 2023 as runner-up to runaway champion Verstappen.

A lacklustre 2024 season, in which he scored just four podiums, led to him losing his drive with Red Bull.

At Red Bull, “everything was a problem”

In an interview with the Cracked podcast, Perez revealed that everything he did “was a problem” within Red Bull, and that included when he would be faster than team-mate Verstappen.

“Everything, pretty much everything,” he replied when asked what went wrong during his time with the team.

“At Red Bull, everything was a problem. If I was very fast, it was a problem.

"Because, of course, it created a very tense environment at Red Bull.

“If I was faster than Max, it was a problem. If I was slower than Max, it was a problem. So everything was a problem.

"So I also learned a lot, right? That, well, the circumstances I’m in, instead of complaining, I have to make the best of it and get the most out of it.”

Perez also noted that “everyone forgot” how tough it was to be Verstappen’s team-mate when assessing his performances.

“We had the best team. Unfortunately, everything fell apart. We had the team to dominate the sport for the next 10 years, I think.

“And unfortunately it all ended, but I was in the best team, in a complicated team, right?

“Because being Max’s team-mate at Red Bull is already very difficult, but being Max’s team-mate at Red Bull is the best and the worst job in F1, by far.

“And well, everyone forgot, right? When I arrived at Red Bull, I started getting results, everything. Everyone forgot how difficult it was to be in that seat.

“And I was very aware of what I was getting into – I wasn’t arriving at Red Bull to compete against one of the best.”

Perez was replaced by Liam Lawson for the 2025 season, who contested just two races for Red Bull before being returned to Racing Bulls.

He was replaced by Yuki Tsunoda, who lost his drive with Red Bull at the end of a disappointing 2025 season.

Isack Hadjar will join Verstappen at Red Bull in 2026, while Perez makes his F1 return with Cadillac.