Steiner shares theory behind Perez struggles at Red Bull

Guenther Steiner believes the root of Sergio Perez's recent difficulties at Red Bull is "mental" and not related to the RB20.

Speaking exclusively on the RacingNews365.com podcast, the former Haas team principal highlighted how much constant criticism will affect F1 drivers who are not "mega strong", arguing it is the difference between good drivers and champions.

Perez has endured a prolonged dip in form of late, a run that stretches back to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in May. Over last eight rounds, including the visit to Imola, the 34-year-old has scored a mere 28 points.

Red Bull awarded him a fresh contract extension in a bid to arrest the slump in performance but to no avail. 

Having started the season playing his supporting role near-flawlessly, following home Max Verstappen en route to three one-two finishes in the opening four rounds, there were suggestions that the development of the RB20 was moving away from Perez and that he was increasingly struggling with the car.

However, to Steiner, it is unlikely to be related to the Red Bull, instead explaining how Perez's issue is much more likely due to being unable to handle the pressure and tune-out the surrounding noise.

"There can be so many things, but normally these days, nothing changes on the car - the cars are the same," he explained.

"If there is an upgrade, which one driver gets, it's clearly communicated. You cannot hold it away from them. It's not the old days. It's very transparent in every team, I would say, because they're all now well-established teams and they're doing all a good job. So there is nothing there. 

"It's just the driver. It's mental, I think. They get under stress and then if you think how little it takes to be three or four tenths off, it's understandable if you don't have the confidence, if you just always feel under pressure, everybody looking at you, everybody just trying to critique you.

"I always think on a Monday when you had a bad weekend or when you got beaten again from your team-mate, to read all the stuff about it and to hear all the stuff about it, like we are talking here, it must get to you if you're not mega strong.

"But that makes the difference between the real good drivers and the good drivers, the real good, the world champions, they just don't feel it. And it's one of these things."

As F1 headed towards the summer break, it looked as if Perez would be sidelined for the remainder of 2024. 

That did not happen and he must now find a way to support his team-mate as the Milton Keynes team struggles to hold off McLaren in the fight for the constructors' championship.

Steiner can see parallels in Perez's current situation to the one Daniel Ricciardo faced at the Woking-based squad.

And whilst he expected Red Bull to replace the Mexican driver, Steiner still doubts Perez can turn his form around and "get out of this hole" he finds himself in.

"Danny Ricciardo was a race winner. He went to McLaren and struggled like hell. The car was the same," he states.

"He goes away and I sometimes think it's better to step back and go in a smaller team again and start up again than try to beat this, to beat Max Verstappen.

"There were quite a few people which couldn't achieve that in the same team, who struggled with that one because he's mentally so strong and he's such a good driver and everything works for him. So, it is very difficult.

"And for me, I maybe thought they'd [Red Bull] would put Checo in the Visa CashApp [RB] car for half of the season and swap them around, Danny and him, and then they see who is actually performing and who not, and then they can take a decision for next year. But they didn't do that. It's also understandable, but it's one of these things.

"I don't think he can get out of this hole, but we were proven wrong by what we were thinking - 'he's not around anymore after summer break' and he still is, but I wish him all the best, I don't wish him bad because I respect him as a driver."