"We live in such small margins"- Sergio Perez slams F1 pundits and fans over unfair criticism

All year long, Sergio Perez has faced plenty of criticism for failing to match his teammate Max Verstappen's performance in the same Red Bull car. The Mexican now insists that what people do not seem to realize is that the margins that eventually make all the difference are too minute to be as critical about performance levels.

Speaking to GPFans, Perez said:

“It can be super-hard but this is why Formula 1 is so difficult. People just see the result and then they start to criticize you because you have done two bad races in a row. We live in such small margins and such small margins can make such a difference to our performances. But we had to go over it ourselves, dig very hard and then try to come out with solutions for the rest of the year.”

Reflecting on a similar scenario during his time at McLaren, Sergio Perez added:

“McLaren happened many years ago. I’ve been in this sport for so long and sometimes I feel people don’t really understand the situation I’m in, the team I’m in, who I am facing, and all of that. But I’m not here for people to give me any grade, I’m here for my own reasons and I just have to get on with it.”

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Sergio Perez does not believe Red Bull have had a car dominant enough to win the title so early on

Sergio Perez claims that Red Bull have not had the kind of challenger that would, under normal circumstances, absolutely dominate the grid much like Max Verstappen has done all year long. The 32-year-old praised his teammate after the latter won his second consecutive world championship title, emphasizing that the Dutchman managed to achieve something that very few would be capable of.

Speaking to the media at the end of the 2022 F1 Japanese Grand Prix, Perez said:

“Well, I think Max has had an incredible season: a lot of respect for him. I’ve said it before: I don’t feel like Red Bull have had a dominant car, to have won the championship the way Max won it, so I think he definitely pulled a gear or two compared to anyone else.”

Reflecting on the first half of the season, the Red Bull driver added:

“I think in the beginning I was a lot closer to him; once he got quite comfortable with the car and I was more uncomfortable with it, he was driving at another level compared to everyone. The races that he did were sometimes incredible, incredible to watch so yeah, a lot of respect for him. Very happy for him and for my team. You know it’s a massive achievement to have won the championship here. One-two for Honda as well so it’s definitely a very special day for the whole team.”

Sergio Perez currently stands second in the drivers' standings in a close battle with Charles Leclerc, who has a mere one-point deficit against the Mexican.