'If Perez was a Red Bull junior, he wouldn't have lasted another year'
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Red Bull Racing's junior programme is unsuccessful. That firm conclusion is drawn by former Red Bull junior Jaime Alguersuari. Not only because the (now departed) 28-year-old Nyck de Vries was acquired from Mercedes last winter and given a seat at AlphaTauri, but also because Sergio Perez is driving alongside Max Verstappen.
Following Daniel Ricciardo's departure, Pierre Gasly was given a chance in the main squad, but he was replaced by Alexander Albon after only six months. The British Thai lasted a bit longer, but he too was pushed aside in favour of Sergio Perez, who came over from the then Racing Point. Salient detail: without Red Bull, Perez would no longer have driven Formula 1.
Perez at Red Bull
That switch, according to Alguersuari, is the failure of the junior programme led by Helmut Marko. "The fact that Perez is driving for Red Bull shows the Red Bull junior team is not successful. The whole idea they told us and the media is they are building champions, or the best drivers they can, to give them an opportunity to drive for AlphaTauri in order for them to get experience."
The 33-year-old Spaniard welcomes that principle wholeheartedly, but: "Tor them to go somewhere else to find a driver at Red Bull is already controversial. It doesn't make sense. You are spending millions for years for many drivers to become champions in junior categories, to then go into F1, give them very little chance and cross your fingers you have a good car - otherwise you do nothing in F1 if you don't have a good car - you are at the back, then cross your fingers you drive for a winning car, which is Red Bull."
New teammate for Verstappen?
That said, Alguersuari argues in the Sky Sports podcast that, especially with Perez's current form, Marko should give a home-grown talent the chance. "We have to be clear that Checo was never in the junior team. If he was, considering how Helmut Marko judges drivers, he would not have lasted a year. It's not acceptable that Perez is always half a second or seven tenths slower. If your team-mate is winning all the races, you have to at least be on the podium, not on your best day being on the podium. You have to be closer otherwise they have the right to replace you. There are many drivers on the grid that could definitely be much closer to Max," he concludes his story.
In Formula 2, Red Bull has six talents with Jak Crawford, Enzo Fittipaldi, Isack Hadjar, Dennis Hauger, Ayumu Iwasa and Zane Maloney, all aiming for a (future) spot in Formula 1. Iwasa and Japan-based Liam Lawson currently appear to be the two men with the greatest chance of securing a place at AlphaTauri.