Verstappen and Red Bull blamed for Perez demise

Former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan has placed blame for Sergio Perez’s current plight at the feet of Max Verstappen and Red Bull.

The Irishman claimed he is “embarrassed” for the six-time grand prix winner, suggesting he has retained his seat for as long as he has due to his team-mate not wanting a stronger driver alongside him.

Jordan cited Carlos Sainz, who was linked to a return to the Red Bull family earlier in the year. However, existing tensions between the Sainz and Verstappen camps were thought too big-an-obstacle to overcome, after the pair had a fractious relationship when at Toro Rosso together in 2015 and early 2016.

Whilst the Spaniard ultimately signed with Williams for next year, the Ex-Jordan team boss argued the pressure applied by Verstappen on Christian Horner – in part – forced Red Bull into keeping Perez in the car longer than it should have done.

Amid a slump in performance, Red Bull committed unorthodox move of offering the 34-year-old a contract extension, with the hope the alleviated pressure would rekindle his form.

His poor run never abated and over the final 18 rounds of the season, he scored just 49 points, and Red Bull finished the year third in the constructors’ standings, despite Verstappen winning a fourth-consecutive drivers’ crown.

Now, the Milton Keynes squad must find a way to reach an equitable agreement with Perez, if it wishes to extract itself from the contract with the Mexican and remove him from his seat, to make way for Liam Lawson or Yuki Tsunoda.

“I’m embarrassed for Checo [Sergio Perez], because I like the guy,” Jordan said on the Formula for Success podcast, which he co-hosts with David Coulthard. “He’s a smashing person to be with.

“But are you telling me he’s angling and fighting for a place in the team for next year? I would say that it’s not a chance, but I put some blame on the team and I put some blame on Max [Verstappen].

“I know that Max put pressure on Christian [Horner]. He did not want Carlos Sainz in the car. He wanted Checo in the car, because he knew he could beat him.

“And to be fair, Max has to just think about that a little bit. Christian has to think about that.”

In Jordan’s view, sacrificing constructors’ championship position instead of firing Perez was the easier path for Red Bull to take at the time.

“They will deny it,” he said, “but it’s just my belief that there was a situation where it was easier to keep Checo in the car rather than consider a position where it might be better for the team where they would get a constructors’ title next year.”