Villeneuve Blames Driver Quality for Red Bull's Second Seat Struggles, Calls Perez 'Never a World Champion'

Why it matters:

Former F1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve has offered a blunt assessment of Red Bull's persistent issues with its second driver, suggesting a lack of 'good' drivers in modern F1 and directly stating Sergio Perez was "never a World Champion."

The big picture:

Red Bull Racing has struggled to find a consistent number two driver to partner Max Verstappen since Daniel Ricciardo's departure. Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon both failed to solidify the role, and current driver Sergio Perez is set to leave at the end of the 2024 season. This ongoing situation highlights a potential gap in driver talent and development.

The details:

• Unprepared Rookies: Villeneuve believes Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon were not ready for the Red Bull challenge, stating, "They still needed their half a season as rookies to get up to speed, and they weren't given it. Those two drivers are better now than when they were at Red Bull."
• Max Verstappen's Uniqueness: He described Verstappen as an "old fashioned driver," emphasizing the difficulty in finding drivers who can work effectively with the team and car setup, saying, "There's not many like Max anymore, so to find another driver that will work with the team, work on the car to make it his and to help the team progress, it's not easy."
• Lack of Technical Acumen: Villeneuve criticized many contemporary drivers for their inability to provide detailed technical feedback on car setup. He remarked, "Some drivers... they just come in and they don't know how to work on a setup... They just say, 'okay, if Max does this, I'll do the same.' That doesn't help."
• Perez's Limitations: On Sergio Perez, Villeneuve was unequivocal: "Perez at his peak or already at plateau, wasn't going to get any better, but he was never a World Champion to start with." He suggested Perez lacked the necessary margin for improvement to consistently deliver at a top team.

What's next:

Red Bull Racing continues its search for a driver to occupy the second seat, especially with the significant regulation changes approaching in 2026. Finding a driver who can not only perform but also contribute technically to the team's development will be crucial to overcoming the perceived 'second seat curse' and consistently challenging for Constructors' Championships.