The former Red Bull driver believes Pérez deserved criticism for his performances alongside Max Verstappen, despite acknowledging his talent, experience and achievements in Formula 1.
Sergio Pérez believes his four seasons alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull transformed him into a stronger driver, leaving him confident that he can compete against anyone on the Formula 1 grid.
However, former Red Bull driver David Coulthard has offered a different assessment, arguing that while Pérez possesses considerable talent and experience, he lacks the final element that separates accomplished Grand Prix winners from the sport’s exceptional champions.
Now racing for Cadillac following a year away from a full-time Formula 1 seat, Pérez is determined to demonstrate that his difficult final months at Red Bull did not accurately reflect his abilities.
Pérez’s Red Bull Years Under Scrutiny
Pérez spent four seasons alongside Verstappen between 2021 and 2024, contributing to one of the most successful periods in Red Bull Racing’s history.
His time with the Austrian team began promisingly. At the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Pérez played a significant supporting role in Verstappen’s championship battle against Lewis Hamilton, earning praise from his teammate, who famously described him as a “legend” for his efforts.
However, the performance gap between the two drivers became increasingly apparent over the following seasons.
Between 2021 and 2024, Verstappen claimed 61 Grand Prix victories and four consecutive world championships, while Pérez secured five wins.
Nevertheless, the Mexican played an important role in Red Bull’s historic 2023 campaign, when the team achieved its first-ever one-two finish in the Drivers’ World Championship.
As rival teams gradually reduced Red Bull’s technical advantage, Pérez’s difficulties became more pronounced.
Questions surrounding his future intensified as his results increasingly fell short of the team’s expectations. He failed to win a race during his final season in 2024, and Red Bull and Pérez subsequently parted ways.
After spending 2025 without a full-time Formula 1 seat, Pérez returned to the championship in 2026 with Cadillac, which entered the sport as a new constructor.
Pérez Insists Racing Alongside Verstappen Made Him Exceptional
Since returning to Formula 1, Pérez has repeatedly challenged the suggestion that his final performances at Red Bull represented his true capabilities.
The Mexican believes the criticism he received failed to account for the circumstances he faced while competing alongside Verstappen.
Speaking at the Monaco Grand Prix, Pérez acknowledged that his final six months with Red Bull had created an unfavourable impression.
“Obviously, when you look at my last six months at Red Bull, you wouldn’t think I’m one of the best drivers.”
However, he argued that those with a deeper understanding of performance would recognise his abilities when considering the broader circumstances and his current results.
Pérez reinforced that belief during the Singapore Grand Prix, insisting that his experience alongside Verstappen had ultimately made him a better competitor.
“I think people are now realising what my level is. Those four years at Red Bull, under the circumstances I had, racing alongside Max, I think made me an exceptional driver.”
He added that, at his current level, he believes he can compete against anyone on the grid.
For Pérez, his return with Cadillac represents an opportunity to rebuild his reputation and demonstrate that his difficult Red Bull exit did not define his career.
Coulthard Believes the Criticism Was Justified
David Coulthard, who competed for Red Bull during the final years of his Formula 1 career, acknowledges that Pérez has operated at a high level and established himself as a proven Grand Prix winner.
The Scot also recognises Pérez’s commercial importance, particularly in Mexico and the wider North American market, where his popularity provides significant value to sponsors and commercial partners.
Coulthard believes Pérez has also reached a greater level of maturity, something he considers a positive development.
Nevertheless, he disputes the suggestion that the criticism directed at Pérez during his Red Bull career was unfair.
From Coulthard’s perspective, competing for a team capable of winning world championships brings expectations that cannot be satisfied simply by finishing behind a dominant teammate.
“I see it this way: he received the criticism he deserved, insofar as the objective is to win.”
Coulthard acknowledged that Pérez secured several victories during his time at Red Bull but questioned whether any Formula 1 driver could genuinely be satisfied with consistently finishing second to a teammate.
His argument centres on the competitive standards expected of drivers representing championship-winning teams, regardless of the strength of the opposition within their own garage.
The Difference Between a Grand Prix Winner and an Exceptional Champion
While Coulthard recognises Pérez as a fast and accomplished racing driver, he believes there is a distinction between competing at the highest level and possessing the exceptional qualities required to dominate Formula 1.
“He’s a talented and fast racing driver. He’s missing that last little bit. I was missing that last little bit too, so I’m not trying to tear him down.”
The comparison with his own career is significant.
Coulthard won 13 Grands Prix and raced for leading teams including Williams and McLaren, competing in machinery capable of challenging for world championships.
Despite those opportunities, he never secured the Drivers’ World Championship.
His assessment of Pérez therefore reflects an understanding of the difference between being a successful Formula 1 driver and reaching the level of the sport’s most celebrated champions.
Coulthard does not question Pérez’s ability to win races or compete against elite opposition. Rather, he believes the Mexican falls short of the extraordinary level demonstrated by the most dominant drivers in Formula 1 history.
Schumacher, Hamilton, Senna and Verstappen Set the Benchmark
To illustrate his argument, Coulthard pointed to the drivers whose exceptional abilities have defined different generations of Formula 1.
“This sport is about finding exceptional drivers, the Schumachers, the Hamiltons, the Sennas, the Maxes, and the list goes on.”
For Coulthard, those names represent the standard that separates highly capable Grand Prix winners from drivers who consistently establish themselves as the defining figures of their eras.
His comments highlight a fundamental disagreement with Pérez’s assessment of his own abilities.
While Pérez believes competing alongside Verstappen strengthened him to the point where he can challenge anyone, Coulthard maintains that his achievements and performances must still be judged against the expectations of a championship-contending team.
The former Red Bull driver ultimately acknowledges Pérez’s experience, victories and contribution to the sport, but remains unconvinced that he belongs in the same category as Formula 1’s most exceptional champions.
With Pérez now rebuilding his career at Cadillac, the debate over his true level continues, particularly when measured against the extraordinary benchmark established by his former teammate at Red Bull.
