Perez slows development: 'He needs to match Verstappen's times'

Max Verstappen has a more experienced teammate at his side in Sergio Perez but still has to do a lot himself. Mika Hakkinen argues that Perez really needs to make another big step, otherwise it will be at the expense of Red Bull Racing's development.

Since the departure of Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing has struggled to find a suitable teammate for Verstappen. Pierre Gasly and Alexander Albon failed to reach the desired level, and currently, Perez is also lacking. It's not just strategic issues that are causing problems, but Hakkinen also points to development issues for the team.

''Mercedes has two drivers who are doing a good job. Valtteri has his ups and downs, but it's important for a team that you have two drivers who consistently score points, and push each other in terms of lap time. That way the development of a car gets better and better,'' Mika Hakkinen told German RTL.

''If the other teammate is half a second slower, then the development of the car is not optimal. The development then comes down to one driver, and that's Max at the moment. I like Sergio, he's a good guy, but he needs to match Max's times, or at least come within two tenths. No more than that, otherwise, the team just doesn't develop fast enough at the weekend and Mercedes runs away'', concludes the two-time world champion.