Will Sergio Perez be able to step up his game and secure his spot at Red Bull beyond 2024? Valtteri Bottas, former Mercedes driver, believes it all comes down to confidence.
Bottas, who spent five years at Mercedes alongside Lewis Hamilton, says he never stopped believing in himself, a mindset that ultimately drove him to switch to Sauber after losing his seat at Mercedes.
Christian Horner, the boss at Red Bull, has made it clear that a lot is riding on Perez’s performance next year if he wants to continue as Max Verstappen’s teammate. “It’s Checo’s to lose,” he said.
“We have options in the wings,” Horner added, hinting at Daniel Ricciardo and possibly Yuki Tsunoda as potential replacements for Perez. “There is also a lot of interest from outside the team as well, so as long as you’re competitive it puts you in a luxury position to just take your time.”
Bottas, currently on holiday, believes confidence is the key for Perez to improve his performance. “You can’t go into a race weekend thinking it’s impossible to win. Then you’ve already lost. This is a sport, and you should always have confidence in your own abilities,” he said.