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Red Bull's Sergio Perez has blamed the new upgrades from the team for the disappointing performances he has faced this season. He has also raised doubts about the car setup and tires.
Perez signed a two-year extension with RBR earlier this season. However, his performances so far have left a lot to be desired. He hasn't finished in the top 5 since the Miami GP and has also retired from two races. Further, he did not manage to score any points at Silverstone.
Following that, Perez finished both Hungary and Belgium in P7. Analyzing these performances, he has raised doubt about an upgrade that Red Bull Racing might have introduced earlier.
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"It's definitely been pickier and harder," GPBlog quoted him as saying. "At the moment, we feel like there has there has been something that we have introduced in a few of the weekends that whether it's with an upgrade or with setup or with the tyres, these cars are so sensitive, that has made this window a lot smaller."
The RB20 is seemingly not as dominant on the track anymore. However, that has not stopped his teammate Max Verstappen from constantly performing well in most races. He still leads the World Championship standings.
Despite his performances, Sergio Perez remains hopeful. He has claimed that other teams might be facing the same issue. Furthermore, he has stated that he has tried different setups of the car in the simulator.
"There will be teams that will be in a similar situation to us. There are teams that have been in this situation, but Red Bull is obviously a lot more noticeable. But it's OK. I think the focus is over there," Checo added.
"I've tried that [change] in the sim. It felt positive. It helped my feeling with the car. So I really hope that it translates well to the track and we'll see."
A direct mid-season comparison between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez
As the F1 season comes to a stop for the summer break, it is interesting to note the difference between Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen. Both drivers started out the season strong and had control over the World Championship. Perez was on the podium four times in the first five races. However, he hasn't managed to finish in the top three since.
Verstappen leads the World Championship with 277 points. Meanwhile, Perez sits in seventh place with 131 points. The difference between the two is 146 points. While the latter has been on the podium four times this season, Verstappen has registered nine top-three finishes. The Dutchman has also beaten his teammate 13 - 0 in qualifying.
This season evidently looks difficult for Sergio Perez. The cancellation of his contract extension was recently speculated, however, the team confirmed that he will be staying with them.
But Perez will need to improve his performances because currently, with McLaren's promising pace in most races, RBR's Constructors' Championship could be under threat by the end of the season.
