Red Bull hint at plan to aid Sergio Perez revival

Red Bull have hinted that giving Sergio Perez an easier car to drive is the secret to his rejuvenation.

Perez was given a huge boost during the F1 summer break when Red Bull clarified their intention to stick by him, despite mounting pressure to make a midseason driver change.

Perez’s form has been terrible since signing a new contract in the early part of the year, but he has clung onto his status as Max Verstappen’s teammate.

"We believe that we can turn it round and make it more stable for him," Red Bull’s Helmut Marko said to ESPN.

"To be teammate to Max is not the nicest thing in Formula One. Checo has his merits, he's won races.

"Our discussion was not just about drivers, it was regular discussions we had of what can we do to improve the situation?

“We have to try to make the car more easy to drive.

"The more difficult the car is to drive, the more the difference to Max comes out because he's such an outstanding talent.

“If the rear steps out he won't lift the throttle, he's just, 'yeah, it's a little bit nervous,' Checo says 'it's difficult' or 'it’s undriveable.'

"So to be next to Max is a different story. So we said let's try to make the car more easy to drive, get more balance, which is also something Max wants, and the best thing is to keep going with Checo and hope that he…

“The main problem was this up and down.

"He had some very good results, very good performances, then the next day he was half a second off Max or so."

Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson were the obvious contenders ignored as possible Perez replacements.

Marko had previously claimed Perez “completely collapsed” at the F1 Belgian Grand Prix after starting on the front row but finishing eighth.

That result might have marked his final F1 race for the team, but they have demonstrated patience.

Perez will be behind the wheel of the Red Bull when F1 resumes at Zandvoort hoping for a return to his early-season form, which included four podiums in the first five races.