Former F1 Boss Defends Sergio Perez Amid Claims His Red Bull Seat Is In Danger
Former F1 team boss, Eddie Jordan, has shared his belief that Sergio Perez’s position with Red Bull will not be affected by Daniel Ricciardo’s surprise return to the team, despite being dropped by McLaren.
Ricciardo has been signed as Red Bull’s third driver for the 2023 F1 season, with his role focused on assisting Perez and Max Verstappen in the simulator and participating in marketing events for Red Bull. However, there are speculations that if Perez struggles to perform, Ricciardo might be in line for a seat in 2024.
Earlier in the season, there was some tension between Red Bull’s drivers after Verstappen refused to obey team orders that would have aided Perez in his fight with Charles Leclerc for second place in the drivers’ championship.
Despite Ricciardo’s return to the team, Jordan, who previously owned the Jordan Grand Prix team that participated in F1 from 1991 to 2005, believes that Perez’s position in the team remains secure.
In an interview with OLBG, Jordan explained:
“There’s not a chance Checo Perez will be replaced by Daniel Ricciardo.
“Checo is a darling in that team. Remember what Checo does, he is brilliant foil for Max, he is strong, he can win when he needs to win, or when he has the chance and opportunity to win.
“There was a bit of a kerfuffle between the two of them, and the opportunity to be second in the championship was a different issue.”
Jordan continued:
“It’s a perfect scenario for Red Bull, as it was for Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine.
“Irvine was happy, he understood the rules, he was being paid on the basis of what he agreed to do.
“I’m sure Checo is the same. He brings good sponsorship to the team, I doubt Daniel Ricciardo does, not to the same level as the Mexican can bring. The biggest thing Red Bull have is continuity. They will not want to change that.
“Ricciardo has been there before, he knows he doesn’t have to be given special treatment, he knows how the team operates, the same people were there; Christian Horner and Adrian Newey.
“They’re the key people in that team, Daniel knows them well but it would have to be as a result of a driver not being able to participate, but just to sack Checo, I don’t see that at all.”
