Red Bull chief shares key car change that could make it ‘easier’ for Sergio Perez to go faster

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Zandvoort will host the first Formula 1 race after the summer break and despite all the talk in Belgium, the grid will look exactly the same as it did four weeks ago.

Two drivers were at risk of being dropped after their performances at Spa.

Logan Sargeant is still pointless at Williams this season and team principal James Vowles hasn’t guaranteed that Sargeant will be on the grid for the rest of 2024.

However, the American will line up alongside Alex Albon at the Dutch Grand Prix.

The other driver in danger was Sergio Perez after another worrying performance at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Perez survived a summer break meeting at Red Bull that could have seen several different drivers within the team’s roster replace him for the rest of the campaign.

Speaking to RacingNews365, Red Bull technical chief Paul Monaghan was asked about the Mexican’s performance and the list of drivers on the shortlist to potentially take his seat.

While he has full faith in every driver in their program, Monaghan admitted that he thinks Red Bull could make a change to Perez’s car that would make it ‘easier’ for him to drive faster.

Perez needs all the help he can get right now with his confidence low and pressure rising with McLaren quickly closing the gap in the Constructors’ Championship.

Red Bull may make a different call on Perez’s future in four races time when there’s another break in the schedule if things don’t get better soon.

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Sergio Perez’s life outside F1 from net worth to nickname

Paul Monaghan explains how Red Bull could make life ‘easier’ for Sergio Perez

Monaghan was asked about the set-up of this year’s Red Bull and said: “We know how to set our car up [in Belgium], and we always arrive with a level of confidence, there are some doubts about: ‘if we get this, what should we do?'”

“But we will see in the coming races when the downforce levels change at Zandvoort, Monza, Singapore and Azerbaijan if our car can maintain this pace in the various configurations we can run – and then we will know.”

He was then asked about the second RB20 car and who could drive it, Monaghan said: “I think any of our drivers could step in.

“[Liam] could, as could Yuki, as could Daniel, as could Checo, they are all capable of driving the car. But it is a question for Christian and Helmut.

“Without wishing to be dismissive of your question, I think it is one better posed to Checo himself if you are going to ask what’s changed for him.

“In terms of the car, if this aero level suits him a little bit better relative to the opposition, then it is easier for him to be quicker in the field.”

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Red Bull Racing from engine to Ford links

The explanation for why Sergio Perez wasn’t dropped by Red Bull in the summer break shared

Looking at the statistics, it makes very little sense why Red Bull didn’t gamble on a different driver in Perez’s place.

Yuki Tsunoda doesn’t appear to be in contention and Daniel Ricciardo’s experience at that level wasn’t enough to overlook his middling form.

It would be a huge ask to hand Liam Lawson a seat alongside Verstappen but anything seems better than sticking with the Mexican right now.

Journalist Erik van Haren has shared why Red Bull didn’t immediately drop Perez but that’s not a guarantee of a long-term future on the grid for the experienced driver.

If Monaghan and Red Bull can make Perez’s car easier to drive faster he’ll have no excuses if he’s not at least closer to his teammate.

With the grid converging, he needs to be on top form to avoid being the worst of the best once again like he was in Belgium.