Sergio Pérez has laid bare the unvarnished truth of racing alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing: the team’s resources, engineering, and even morale were built around the Dutch driver, leaving him to make the most of scraps. Over four seasons (2021–2024), the Mexican secured five victories and played a pivotal role in Red Bull’s constructors’ championships—yet he knew from day one what he was signing up for.

What did Sergio Pérez say about racing with Verstappen? Pérez told the *High Performance* podcast that facing Verstappen at Red Bull was ‘the toughest challenge’ in Formula 1. ‘Everything goes to Max,’ he said. ‘All the opportunities—senior engineers, experienced engineers—it’s all for him.’ He admitted he accepted this reality immediately, choosing to focus on what he *could* control rather than what he couldn’t.

Why did Red Bull’s focus on Verstappen make life harder for Pérez? The Mexican revealed that Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, made it clear during Pérez’s first meeting: ‘We go racing with two cars because we have to. Otherwise, we’d be happy with one. Everything is for Max.’ Pérez said he took this at face value, using the tools at his disposal to deliver results—including keeping the same engineering team for all four years, a decision he called ‘something I feel extremely proud of.’

How did Pérez survive four seasons as Verstappen’s teammate? Pérez credits his longevity at Red Bull to his character and acceptance of his role. ‘You have to accept the position you’re in,’ he said. ‘If you overpush the system, they break you.’ He also noted the internal drama that flared in 2024, when Red Bull’s dominance led to infighting—and ultimately cost them the constructors’ title to McLaren. ‘People got bored,’ Pérez observed. ‘They were fighting each other.’

What’s next for Sergio Pérez in 2026? After a year out of F1 in 2025—when he lost his Red Bull seat to Liam Lawson—Pérez has rejoined the sport with Cadillac for 2026. His return marks a fresh chapter, though his candid remarks about Red Bull suggest he’s not afraid to speak his mind. ‘Only once I left did they realize the job I’d done,’ he said, hinting that his contributions were undervalued while he was there.