The Mexican was sacked by Red Bull Racing at the end of 2024

Ex-F1 star Sergio Perez has lifted the lid on what it is like to race alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing, claiming even the very best would struggle at Tilbrook.

The Mexican spent four seasons alongside the Dutchman in Milton Keynes, playing second-fiddle to him as Verstappen dominated the sport to win four championships in a row, fuelling talks the team favoured Verstappen at the expense of other team-mates.

Despite starting well after his switch from Racing Point in 2021 though, Perez gradually fell down the order to a point he was struggling massively compared to Verstappen. And despite signing a new contract midway through 2024, he was dumped by the team at the end of the season.

His replacements have not fared much better either. Liam Lawson, initially signed to replace Perez, was ditched after just two races, while Yuki Tsunoda has only finished in the points six times from 17 attempts.

Speaking at the Mexican Grand Prix ahead of his return to the sport next season with newcomers Cadillac, Perez admitted even the best drivers would struggle to compete with Verstappen, especially at Red Bull.

“Looking in from the outside, I don’t like to criticise other drivers because I know what they are going through,” he said. “As soon as I signed my exit deal with Red Bull, I thought ‘the poor guy who comes in here next’. I managed to survive, but it is a very difficult place.

“Being next to Max is very difficult but being next to Max at Red Bull is something people don’t understand.

“There are a lot of things I could tell you, but simply, it’s a very difficult place for a driver. No other driver can survive there.

“No matter if you bring Hamilton or Leclerc there, it is very difficult for another driver. Whoever you take there, they will struggle massively.”

After leaving the sport at the end of last season, Perez admitted he was not immediately sure he wanted back into the paddock after his Red Bull experience left a sour taste. But with the Cadillac opportunity, he felt it was a way to end his career on the right note.

He added: “It took me a good six months (to feel like I wanted to come back). I wanted to finish my career properly, but at the same time, I wondered if it really mattered.

“If I wasn’t offered the right project, or the right motivation to come back, I was not going to consider it for a second.”