Put Nico Hülkenberg in the Red Bull instead of Sergio Perez!

Sergio Perez is probably the biggest problem child in Formula 1 at the moment. 15 points from the last six races – 104 fewer than his teammate Max Verstappen. Even Nico Hülkenberg in the Haas scored 16 points more in Austria and Silverstone alone. Why the comparison with the Emmericher? Because he would do a much better job at Red Bull – according to Christian Danner.

Danner: Almost every other F1 driver would be better in the Red Bull than Perez

“You really have to drive further up the field with a car like that. It would be asking a bit too much to be like Verstappen, but where Perez is driving, that’s not really possible!”, says Danner in a Q&A with Christian. It’s unclear exactly where Perez’s problem lies. Psychologically, in his driving style or the setup of his Red Bull.

Problem: If Max Verstappen’s setup doesn’t work for Perez and he would like something completely different. “If that’s the case, then Perez is obviously a poor dog. He’ll never get what he wants,” the ex-Formula 1 driver suspects. That, combined with Perez’s self-doubt, would then explain the poor results.

Also not helpful: the currently extremely tight field in Formula 1. However, that is only a limited excuse. “That shouldn’t be the case, that’s not good enough,” says Christian Danner. “I think he’s a good Formula 1 driver. But he’s de facto replaceable. You can get more out of a Hülkenberg.”

Can Red Bull still afford Sergio Perez? | Danner Q&A (26:58 mins)

“If you put an Ocon in there, or any established Formula 1 driver, you’ll get more out of it, I’m pretty sure of that,” says the Munich native. Reputable specialist portals have already reported that Red Bull is looking for exit clauses in order to put someone else – perhaps not Ocon – in the cockpit next to Verstappen.

Red Bull stands by Sergio Perez – still

Red Bull has not yet made any public statement on the matter. “Checo is under a lot of pressure. That’s normal in Formula 1. If you don’t deliver, the pressure gets even greater and he knows that,” said Christian Horner in his defense after the race in Silverstone. He added: “Nothing worked that weekend.”

“He knows that things can’t go on like this if he doesn’t score points. We have to score points with this car,” warned the Red Bull team boss before losing the constructors’ crown. “He knows what his role and what the goal is. And nobody wants him to get back to his old form more than Checo.”

Helpful: From Budapest onwards, Sergio Perez will also get the new underbody that Max Verstappen already drove on the RB20 in Silverstone. The Mexican was one of the losers of the weekend in Great Britain. The full list of winners and losers can be found here: