Slow Perez not Verstappen's concern: "If car is good, I can do it myself"

At the end of last season Alexander Albon was sidelined by Red Bull Racing due to disappointing performance. He would have been too slow to support Max Verstappen in strategic battles with Mercedes. However, his replacement Sergio Perez does not appear to be much closer to the Dutchman for the time being.

Perez was unlucky to be sent out on medium tyres, while it was not certain that he had the speed to reach Q3. As a result, he will have to start from eleventh place. That gives a somewhat distorted picture, but not entirely.

Pierre Gasly was able to qualify in the top ten on the medium tyre. Still, a little embarrassing for Red Bull, who pushed Gasly aside very quickly in 2019. It's still early to draw conclusions, but Perez is currently about the same behind Verstappen as his predecessors: around six or seven tenths on average.

Verstappen not worried about Perez

With the midfield having moved closer to the top, it's not surprising then that Perez's one less lap suddenly puts him outside the top ten. It means he cannot be of strategic importance to Verstappen and Red Bull during Sunday's race.

It's something Verstappen himself is not worried about right now, he said Sunday morning in De Telegraaf. "If the car is good, I can do it myself," is his sober conclusion. If the car is so fast that he can drive away from Mercedes, he will not care what happens to Perez.