Red Bull contented Sergio Perez has given up trying to defeat Max Verstappen, his opponent in Formula One.

Sergio Perez’s decision to give up on trying to defeat teammate Max Verstappen makes Red Bull CEO Helmut Marko quite happy.

The Dutchman has won four of the first five Grands Prix of the current season, continuing his dominant record. Perez, a teammate, has also shown improvement in form; thus far, he has appeared on the podium four times.

This is the kind of behavior the Mexican must exhibit to maintain his seat. Due to his lackluster performance in the previous season, he entered the current campaign against the red bull contract, which expires at the end of the year.

However, Perez has stopped making comments about wanting to defeat Verstappen at the same time that his form has improved. The 34-year-old is no longer placing undue pressure on himself, which pleases Red Bull super advisor Marko.

The Austrian said the following in his Speedweek column: “I’m also pleased that Sergio Perez is performing better this season than he did a year ago. Checo is no longer claiming to be determined to beat Max going into the race.

“By this, I also imply that if the speed wasn’t correct in 2023, he nearly frantically voted in his own way. He so attempted to use a new setup in an attempt to get closer to Max technically. He has abandoned that.

“As far as voting goes, Perez is now following Verstappen’s lead. He thereby wastes less time and improves greatly, particularly in the

There isn’t much to be upset about in the races either; he would have most likely been second in China if not for the unlucky timing of the safety car phases. He can’t use his ability to whisper tires as much when he’s stopped in traffic, though. Rather, he needed to make his way forward, and the tires are usually the final obstacle in that process.”

Perez’s seat isn’t safe yet, though. Earlier this month, the Mexican stated that a contract renewal was imminent and expressed hope for a new multi-year agreement. However, Red Bull believes there’s no need to rush their decision and they do not want to commit to the 34-year-old for an extended period of time.

A one-year extension looks possible if he can maintain his impressive performance. However, Red Bull may decide to take a different approach in 2026 and, having been pleased with former driver Alex Albon’s excellent results since joining Williams, they are considering bringing him back.