The day after the news broke that Sergio Perez would be staying with Red Bull Racing for next year, the Mexican made a huge mistake by crashing in the lap to the grid. He threw away what could have been a few 'free' points at Spa-Francorchamps.
"Last week Helmut Marko was saying that Pérez had to do his best more, and a few days later the contract is extended," says Kees van de Grint during the Dutch programme RTL GP Slipstream. "And a few days later he drives that thing into the wall on the warm-up lap", adds Allard Kalff.
More motivations behind Perez contract extension?
He continued: "I think it's a bit ridiculous. I said it at the beginning of the year and I still say it: apart from that one day in Baku when he won that race, I haven't seen anything that Albon or Gasly couldn't do."
However, Van de Grint thinks there is more to it than just Pérez's racing talent. "Marko is not stupid, he has a good view on these things. He has known for a long time, just like us: nobody beats Verstappen. So why not keep this man? He also brings in some money, so one plus one is two."