Max Verstappen could be on the lookout for a new team-mate at Red Bull (Image: Getty)
has given his honest thoughts on rumoured exit from Red Bull.
Perez endured a miserable 2024 season and for the first time since 2020 failed to win a single Grand Prix race.
His final two races of the year ended in retirements, with the Mexican touted to leave during the off-season.
It would mean a change of partner for four-time world champion Verstappen, but the Dutchman has been full of sympathy for his team-mate’s recent form.
Speaking after the season finished, Vertsappen told Viaplay: “On one hand, it’s been tough for Checo. it hasn’t always been his fault but at that moment we had a very difficult car.
“You can blame it on that, of course I don’t want to bash him as he’s my teammate, I can get along with him well but I can clearly say not everything has been his fault about how things went wrong.”
recently admitted they’d be looking to promote either Liam Lawson or , should Perez be given the axe, with the writing now looking as if it’s on the wall.
But Verstappen insists the limitations with the car haven’t helped Perez in 2024.
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Sergio Perez’s time at Red Bull could be coming to an end (Image: Getty)
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He added: “The biggest issue we had this season was that the car didn’t work. I know Checo’s driving style, at some point the car we had was very difficult to drive for me as well. and that doesn’t help.
“We should’ve gotten started on that way earlier because it would’ve helped him a lot too.”
Aside from a late wobble when it looked like was going to get back into the title race, Verstappen didn’t have many problems with the motor. The 27-year-old managed to win his fourth straight Drivers’ Championship title with time to spare.
When asked why he fared better than his team-mate, Verstappen replied: “Yes but at the start of the season for example he was also second, third, that was fine. and at some point it was just tough.
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“Your trust gets a hit, some people are more sensitive to that than others. I think we as a team didn’t do a good job at that as well.”
Verstappen himself could’ve been heading away from the garage had things worked out differently, with the Belgian-born star having been linked to a move away.
He’s one of the drivers to have escaped this year’s driver merry-go-round and will enter the 2025 season as a strong favourite to make it five Drivers’ Championship titles in a row.