Formula 1 veteran Jo Ramirez has some sound advice for Red Bull's Sergio Perez, urging his fellow Mexican to accept that "Verstappen is a phenomenon, and I can't get close to him," and to instead focus on finishing second at least.
Ramirez's conclusions mirror the best modus operandi we at GRANDPRIX247 have been harping on since Perez joined Red Bull. But it has not happened. Instead, the driver is in another of his 'will I be fired?' low points in his career. The fact that he won't and has a new deal beyond 2024 (albeit a breakable one as is always the case in F1) did not improve his form. Quite the opposite in fact.
Why so? Among the best-placed of all is Ramirez. A 40-year veteran of F1, including two decades with McLaren where he worked with great legends such as Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna. A time when McLaren was led by Ron Dennis.
This week, Ramirez summarized Perez's dilemma to Mundo Deportivo: "For Checo, it's very difficult. He's not a bad driver, but I tell him that he should say the car is perfect, because he always complains about the car, the temperature, the tires..."
Ramirez: Checo shouldn't be afraid to admit it
Ramirez continued: "Checo always complains about something instead of saying: 'Look, Verstappen is a phenomenon, and I can't get close to him.' He shouldn't be afraid to admit that because I think there are very few drivers who are at Verstappen's level - or maybe none.
"Checo can change his driving style, but he'll never be able to match Max. However, he should say, 'Okay, I'm here doing the best I can, and I'm second in the championship,'" advised Ramirez.
Perez is currently P7 in the drivers' standings with 131 points after 14 rounds. His Red Bull teammate Verstappen, with 277 points, leads the standings. Red Bull also tops the F1 Constructors' standings with ten GPs remaining this season.
On the subject of F1 drivers and access to their inner circles, as Ramirez had with Senna, Prost, David Coulthard, and Mika Hakkinen, the 82-year-old laments: "We have lost the romanticism that was in F1—that humanity.
"Drivers no longer show themselves as they truly are in front of the media. To have an interview with a driver, you have to schedule it weeks in advance. You can't just do an interview right now. A lot has been lost," ventured Jo.
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