Perez brushes aside Red Bull question: 'Let's jump this one now'

The Mexican driver has enjoyed a solid comeback season so far, despite Cadillac still being far from a competitive package capable of consistently challenging for points. Although his race in Montreal ended in a DNF, Perez delivered an encouraging performance in the Sprint, finishing 14th and showing that he still has plenty to offer behind the wheel. It was another reminder that the driver seen this season is a far cry from the struggling version that emerged during the final months of his Red Bull stint alongside Max Verstappen.

Speaking to GPblog among others ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, Perez admitted that his final months at Red Bull did little to reflect his true level as a driver. The Mexican argued that results alone fail to tell the full story, insisting that those who understand performance and the circumstances he was operating under would recognise the level he is still capable of delivering.

Perez went on to explain that the struggles he experienced during his final spell at Red Bull inevitably damaged his confidence, particularly as poor results began to raise doubts about his own abilities. However, the Mexican revealed that his self-belief quickly returned once he got back behind the wheel, with his immediate pace and recent performances convincing him that his speed had never disappeared.

"Obviously, it kind of hurts you on the confidence side when you start to struggle the way I struggled in my last period at Red Bull. It hurts you confidence-wise, you know, and when I jumped in the Ferrari already and I was up to speed within 10 laps after not driving anything, I was like, you know, it must be the circumstances I was seeing."

Looking at his form over the last few races, Perez argued that both his qualifying performances and race pace have shown he is still capable of competing at a high level. He also pointed out that drivers often have little control over many of the factors that influence results, stressing that difficult circumstances can sometimes create the false impression that a driver's talent has faded.

When GPblog pointed out that his "a lot of drivers" remark appeared to be specifically aimed at Red Bull drivers, Perez chose not to elaborate further, quickly brushing off the subject with a smile: "Exactly. Let's jump this one now."