David Croft recently claimed that Red Bull would benefit from thinking about the team’s future beyond Max Verstappen, given that the two-time world champion previously revealed that he could potentially stop racing at the age of 31. Sergio Perez, of course, is doing well in the team but is already in his 30’s, as is Red Bull’s 2023 F1 season reserve driver Daniel Ricciardo.
Speaking at the Sky F1 review of the 2022 F1 season, Croft said:
“I think that they’re two very different styles of drivers [Ricciardo and Perez]. They’re both capable of winning races but, to me, they win races in very different ways. I hate to say this, I think Daniel is a terrific bloke, but he is not the future for Red Bull – not by any stretch of the imagination, mainly because of age.” “When Max spoke at the end of the season and talked about potentially stopping at the age of 31, that’s a big revelation to me. He’s already thinking about the time he stops racing. If he’s thinking that, then Red Bull should be thinking it too. Personally, I’d be trying to identify someone else to come in in 2024 if Checo’s [Perez] not the answer.”
Max Verstappen is contracted with Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season.
F1 commentator talks about “trust issues” between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez
Red Bull had a controversial weekend in Brazil this year, where Max Verstappen, who had already secured the drivers’ championship title, refused to give up a sixth-place position for his team-mate Sergio Perez.
This would have potentially helped the Mexican finish ahead of Charles Leclerc in the championship, securing the top two spots for the team. The Dutchman insinuated that he did so because he believes that Perez intentionally cost him pole position at the Monaco GP in 2022, indicating a lack of trust between the teammates.
Speaking about the situation between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, Croft said:
“There has to be trust issues there. You need to be able to trust your team and as a driver, trust your team-mate. Whatever went on in Monaco, and the assumption is that there was something about Checo’s crash that wasn’t misfortune, shall we say? If it wasn’t an act of misfortune, there is a trust issue there. And in the back of your mind, I don’t care who you are, you’re thinking ‘will they do that again? I don’t see how it gets repaired.”
Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok added:
“I, putting my driver hat on can tell you, I still remember drivers who have blocked me on a qualifying lap in 2007. I think we’ll only find out the true damage done by Brazil next year at a moment where Cecco is asked to help Max and I think that is going to be interesting. But ultimately though, Checo has got to lift his game, because he only outqualified Max three times this year, all three on street circuits, one of them Monaco, perhaps a bit of an asterix as well. He’s got to lift his game if he’s going to be in a position to fight.” “I don’t understand why Max didn’t give me the position after all I’ve done for him. If he has two championships it is because of me” Checo post race interview #BrazilGP“I don’t understand why Max didn’t give me the position after all I’ve done for him. If he has two championships it is because of me” Checo post race interview #BrazilGP
Sergio Perez ended up finishing third in the drivers’ championship with a three-point deficit to Charles Leclerc, who came second. Max Verstappen secured the title earlier at the Japanese GP.
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