Don
Not really, more that he's just a safe pair of hands who will likely be in a position to capitalise if things happen (as he did in Bahrain), Albon wasn't consistent in that role.
Perez Replaces Albon at Red Bull
- Thread starter cainer
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Not really, more that he's just a safe pair of hands who will likely be in a position to capitalise if things happen (as he did in Bahrain), Albon wasn't consistent in that role.
Soldato
Where was Albon that day?
Perez has been shone since his debut in 2011 and certainly since Malaysia 2012. It obviously didn't work out at McLaren, but he's shown increasing brilliance since, peaking this year, despite contracting COVID-19 and missing two races.
He's not a top tier driver, and thus far his career has been more Heinz-Harold Frentzen than Lewis Hamilton, but don't forget Frentzen came close to winning a title in a Jordan that ought to have had no chance of even getting to close to challenging for one. Obviously it's a different era and that wouldn't happen now, but it gives a hint at how valuable a consistent driver can be given the opportunity.
Being in a position to mess with Mercedes' strategy and averaging a 4th-place finish will be all Red Bull ask of him. He might not start like that, but given the chance he should be there by mid-season.
The Redbull does seem like a car built so much around max that it might be hard to adapt to. We've seen this before in motogp with Ducati and Casey Stoner where nobody else could ride the thing fast. The problem for Redbull is that all their eggs are in the Max basket, which is risky over time as Max could eventually move on. Perez could even come in and struggle. It seems unlikely - and I hope not as I like him - but you never know. Max is a bit rash and hasn't really matured much since he started. He's not one to drive to a delta, or try to preserve tyres as much. He will always risk a win over 2nd or 3rd. This is what makes it hard to see him winning a championship, but then, anyone not in a Merc right now you can say the same.
I do feel like Redbull would be a hard team to be the number 2 driver in just because it's all about Max so much and I really have taken a dislike to Christian Horner over the last few years.
I do feel like Redbull would be a hard team to be the number 2 driver in just because it's all about Max so much and I really have taken a dislike to Christian Horner over the last few years.
At the very least he's a known entity, so it'll be interesting to see if he performs consistently there or takes a similar downward trajectory to others at Red Bull - he may give some insight into whether drivers like Kvyat, Gasly and Albon just can't cut it at top tier teams or if the second seat at Red Bull is so toxic at the moment it just wears drivers down.
Soldato
Horner I don't mind and I think he unfairly gets a lot of stick. All he's doing is running a team (the car side) to the best of his abilities. The drivers and how the team deal with them (Horner included) is driven by Helmut Marko - Dietrich Mateschitz's right-hand man.
Soldato
That would have been funny though. Presumably the team manager handles the drivers so would have the power to do it. Of course Stroll would overturn it though.
Kvyat was fine at RB in 2015. Only a few points behind Dani Ric. That RB was a dog though. As it got faster the gap widened.
Soldato
I'm just not sure I believe the car is built for Max, they were already well into development of the car when Max came in, and Ric didn't struggle with it.
I just find it hard to believe they'd make a car so hard for others to drive and in turn shoot themselves in the foot because they are screwing the second driver who can't score the points.
Deleted member 651465
D
Deleted member 651465
[partridge] Would I pass muster? Would I cut the mustard? Would I pass the mustard? [/partridge]
Soldato
Exactly. Perez’s job is be 0.2s behind Max in Qualifying and his wingman on Sunday, scoring the maximum number of points that the 2021 RB car is capable of for the Constructors Championship.
a lot of how the car acts comes from the drivers and what they need/ want changed. As the several second drivers have come and gone they only have Max' feedback to how the car is worked on etc. Its why a lot of teams take older drivers for their experience.
Soldato
And usually slower drivers, since the likes of Max, Schumacher, Alonso etc.. would drive around problems that might be issues for other drivers, hence their feedback isn't always best.
Soldato
Well Ric was the 'older' driver, wasn't he? Therefore your logic doesn't stand up.
People's claims are not around feedback they are saying the car is specifically designed around him which I don't believe.
Soldato
Exactly, if Max is so amazing then he could overcome and adapt to a car built for a weaker teammate much more than that weaker teammate could adapt to and drive his hard to drive car.
Was he? It's been very clear the RB team and management have built everything on Max first. You don't burn that many drivers in such a short pace of time that are that far off the pace without there being serious issues at team level.
Soldato
I see that Albon is 'upset' about being dropped. He should have known it was coming. There's not use being upset, be better.
It was interesting to see that Perez is only 6 years older than Albon.
It was interesting to see that Perez is only 6 years older than Albon.
Soldato
The best place RB could have got this year is 2nd place in the championship and thats exactly what they got with Albon, they wont be improving on that next year with Perez at the helm (unless something goes hideously wrong with Merc?!!) so i just dont see the reason why they didnt take a chance with one of there up and coming drivers?
Perez is ok by any standard for sure but he's not exactly Mr consistent and unless im missing something he's never really shown himself as someone with untapped potential.
But good luck to him! Im not sure i'd want to be in Max's shadow!
Perez is ok by any standard for sure but he's not exactly Mr consistent and unless im missing something he's never really shown himself as someone with untapped potential.
But good luck to him! Im not sure i'd want to be in Max's shadow!
Don
Perez - Average position 6.5 out of 14 races classified
Albon - Average position 7.75 out of 16 races classified
Perez missed 2 races and still outscored Albon by 20 points.
While it may not make enough difference to change the outcome of the constructors championship, having a driver who can more consistently run in 4th gives more strategic options, potentially forcing Mercedes to cover off the other driver etc.
Between that and hopefully Max having less DNFs then potentially it would be enough to swing a WCC a bit closer to Red Bull
Soldato
They also want someone who can interfere with Mercedes in races. Not that it would have made a difference to either championship, and probably won't next year either but it might present a couple more opportunities for races wins. If for example Perez can be in a position to make Mercedes pit stops timings difficult then Red Bull have an extra ace up their sleeve that they rarely had this year.