Helmut Marko launches new attack on Sergio Perez after Red Bull’s painful defeat: “It’s very sad, it hurts”. Helmut Marko has spoken again about Sergio Perez after his Red Bull exit.

The veteran Red Bull advisor pinpointed Sergio Perez as the main culprit for the team’s loss, which saw them finish behind McLaren and Ferrari in the standings. Sergio Perez will be replaced by Liam Lawson next season after spending four years with the Austrian team.

Sergio Perez’s struggles in 2024 reached unacceptable levels compared to Max Verstappen. The Dutchman secured his fourth consecutive World Championship, while the Mexican driver finished only eighth in the overall standings, ranking last among the drivers from the top four teams. Sergio Perez’s last podium of the season was at the Chinese Grand Prix in April. As the season progressed, Red Bull itself faced some challenges and had to rely heavily on the consistency of Max Verstappen, while Perez fell into a slump of inadequate performances.

Helmut Marko commented on the situation in an interview with *Kleine Zeitung* following the announcement of Sergio Perez’s departure and Liam Lawson’s promotion. “It’s very sad, it hurts,” he said in response to a question about Red Bull failing to retain the Constructors’ Title.

“The decisive point was that the gap between Max and Checo in the championship was 282 points, while the difference between the drivers of our competitors was much smaller. This explains why we lost the Constructors’ Championship.”

Reflecting on Sergio Perez’s four seasons with Red Bull, Helmut Marko added: “There was a certain decline in his performance, although the overall balance of recent years has been positive. In 2021, he contributed significantly to Max’s first World Championship. He won a total of five Grands Prix and was runner-up in the World Championship. However, something about this car and his driving style was no longer in harmony.”.”