Max Verstappen's family played a role in Sergio Perez's contract extension at Red Bull, according to F1 pundit

F1 pundit Robert Doornbos feels Max Verstappen's family has played a role in Sergio Perez getting his contract extension at Red Bull, as they didn't want Carlos Sainz on the same team. The Mexican's performance, or lack thereof, has been a topic of discussion since last season, with far too many experts questioning why Perez was even part of the team.

The driver has very rarely outperformed Max in the same car and lately has struggled to even be a strong second driver. The driver started the season well with a couple of podiums. The problem with that was the fact that, at the time, Red Bull had a dominant car, which meant Sergio Perez could be a decent amount behind Max Verstappen and still finish second.

Since the F1 Miami GP, rivals have closed up big time, and Sergio Perez's performances have taken a turn for the worse. The Mexican has struggled a lot, and from P2 in the championship at one stage, he's closer to P8 in the championship now with both Mercedes drivers within touching distance of him.

It was during this time that Sergio Perez's contract extension was announced by Red Bull. Multiple races in, the jury is out. The Mexican is a major liability for the team, and there's no looking away from this.

Robert Doornbos told Ziggo Sport that even the Max Verstappen family had a role to play, as that they did not want Carlos Sainz to be a part of the squad. He said,

“I just feel the pain of that boy [Perez]. He made sure that this was done quickly, also because the Verstappen family wanted that. They wanted Perez to just sign, and get away from all those distractions with Carlos Sainz and everyone who was lurking on that seat.”

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Liam Lawson will be testing Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez's car

Talking about what is going to be the next step of action for Red Bull, Robert Doornbos noted how Liam Lawson will be testing Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez's cars at Silverstone in the coming week.

There are no more excuses left that one can give about the Mexican's performance, as the search for an alternative is on. Doornbos said,

“Liam Lawson is testing that car, Max and Checo’s, the RB20, on this same circuit. You have to put him in, you have to do something now. You have no excuses anymore. The data does not lie. It’s a very difficult situation for Red Bull, because they let it fester for too long.”

Sergio Perez has been with Max Verstappen since 2021, and he played a big role in helping the Dutch driver win the title. It will be interesting if an alternative is found by Red Bull on such short notice.