‘Not fast enough’ Sergio Perez blasted for failing to learn from Max Verstappen

Former Formula 1 driver Christijan Albers says Sergio Perez is “not fast enough” as he fails to learn from the data of Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen.

F1 2023 has been a further season of Verstappen domination, the Dutchman securing his 16th Grand Prix victory this year in Mexico, a campaign which has seen him romp to a third World Championship title on the bounce.

That 16th win meant he broke his record of 15 set last season as Verstappen continues to set an unmatchable standard.

Sergio Perez should learn from Max Verstappen data

All the while, Perez has fallen alarmingly off the pace in the sister Red Bull RB19, having failed to make the podium in his last five outings as he fights to retain P2 in the Drivers’ Championship under pressure applied by Lewis Hamilton.

Speaking to De Telegraaf, former Minardi, Midland and Spyker driver Albers admitted he is “not a fan” of Perez, who he says cannot excuse the performance deficit which exists to Verstappen, considering he has the luxury of being able to study Verstappen’s data as his team-mate.

“I’m not a Perez fan,” said Albers, “but that’s simply because he doesn’t improve over a weekend even though he has all of Max’s data. The gap in qualifying is simply too big.

“He’s just really lacking. He’s not fast enough.”

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The Mexican Grand Prix, Perez’s home race, was earmarked as the event where Perez could get his Red Bull career back on the right path in front of his home fans.

Instead, at the race start when attempting a move around the outside to take the lead, Perez would collide with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, marking a bitterly disappointing and early end to proceedings for Perez and his fans.

However, Albers had supportive words for Perez on this one, praising him for attempting the move, though execution was ultimately lacking.

“I actually don’t think he did anything wrong there,” said Albers of that Perez Mexican GP start incident.

“Of course, he turned in too early, but so did Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time World Champion, in Qatar.

“I prefer that someone goes for it and tries to improve their position – the problem was simply that he squeezed too quickly. Leclerc just couldn’t do anything about it.”

F1 2023 now moves on to the Brazilian Grand Prix, Hamilton having narrowed his deficit to Perez to 20 points with three rounds remaining.

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