Hill on Perez: "Red Bull desperately wants more of a wingman for Max"

As Max Verstappen's teammate, the somewhat underperforming Sergio Perez often receives criticism about his performance. The Red Bull driver still has a contract running until the end of 2024. World champion of the 1996 premier class of motorsport Damon Hill reacts to the situation surrounding Perez and Verstappen.

"I think the team desperately wants a little bit more of a wingman for Max. You know, they know that Max is almost untouchable," Hill told the F1 Nation podcast. "There are these people who just are so difficult to beat. All you can do is get close and do a good job for the team," the former Formula 1 driver continued.

Hill on Perez during Japanese GP

Things did not exactly go ideally for the Mexican during the race at Suzuka either. The Guadalajara-based driver experienced several errors and had to put his car in the pit box. He then came out again to serve his time penalty, after which the RB19 was allowed back into the pit box.

"Something went wrong and he then got into trouble in the first corner. And then I think a little bit of the frustration did creep in and it got worse and worse," the 63-year-old man from Hampstead explained. "And the thing on Magnussen was really, you know, desperation. And it was perhaps a little bit annoyed with being where he was," Hill concluded.