Max Verstappen’s grip on Red Bull Racing was absolute even before Sergio Perez arrived in 2020 — and the team’s former boss made it brutally clear.

On his first meeting with Horner, Perez was told the team’s entire focus was on Verstappen. “We go racing with two cars because we have to, otherwise we’d be super happy just to race with one,” Horner said. “Everything is for Max, around Max. To win the championship.”

The Mexican’s four-year stint at Milton Keynes yielded five wins and a supporting role in two of Verstappen’s titles. But the hierarchy was never in doubt.

What happened?

Perez joined Red Bull in 2020 after moving from Racing Point. The team had not signed an outside driver since 2007. Horner’s blunt message set the tone: Verstappen was the priority.

Perez won five Grands Prix and helped Verstappen and Red Bull to multiple titles. Yet he was always the second driver. The gap in resources and opportunities was stark.

Why it matters for Max Verstappen

Verstappen’s dominance at Red Bull is no accident. The team’s infrastructure, engineering focus and race strategy were geared toward him from day one.

Perez’s account confirms what fans suspected: Red Bull operated as a one-car team in all but name. Verstappen received the best engineers, the latest updates and the team’s full backing.

The system worked. Verstappen won three straight titles from 2021 to 2023. Perez’s role was to support — and occasionally pick up scraps.

The toughest job in F1

Perez called facing Verstappen at Red Bull the toughest challenge in motorsport. “To face Max at Red Bull is the toughest,” he said. “You need the best of the best in all areas — and you just don’t have it while he has it.”

Engineering resources, simulator time and track support all flowed to Verstappen. Perez accepted the role knowing the limits. “Christian and Helmut Marko would tell me: ‘The whole project is for our driver — and our driver is Max,’” he recalled.

The frustration peaked in 2024. Perez finished eighth in the championship, nearly 300 points behind Verstappen. In December 2024, Red Bull replaced him.

What comes next?

Perez now races for Cadillac in IndyCar alongside Valtteri Bottas. His first season yielded zero points.

Verstappen remains Red Bull’s undisputed star. The team’s 2026 car continues to evolve around him. Perez’s revelations only underline how deep Verstappen’s advantage runs — and how hard it is to challenge him even as a teammate.