Haas F1 Boss: Perez’s Struggles Are About Stress, Not Car Issues

Guenther Steiner has weighed in on the reasons behind Sergio Perez’s recent performance slump at Red Bull, suggesting that the root cause is more psychological than mechanical. Speaking on the RacingNews365.com podcast, Steiner, the former Haas team principal, attributed Perez’s difficulties to mental stress rather than issues with the RB20 car.

Perez’s form has significantly declined since the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in May, with the 34-year-old scoring just 28 points over the last eight races. Despite a contract extension from Red Bull aimed at improving his performance, Perez has continued to struggle.

Initially, speculation arose that changes to the RB20 might be affecting Perez’s performance. However, Steiner dismissed these concerns, emphasizing that modern F1 cars and team operations are highly transparent, with any upgrades communicated clearly to drivers.

“It’s just the driver. It’s mental, I think,” Steiner said. “They get under stress and then if you think how little it takes to be three or four tenths off, it’s understandable if you don’t have the confidence, if you just always feel under pressure, everybody looking at you, everybody just trying to critique you.”

Steiner noted that the constant scrutiny and criticism can weigh heavily on drivers who are not exceptionally resilient. “I always think on a Monday when you had a bad weekend or when you got beaten again from your team-mate, to read all the stuff about it and to hear all the stuff about it, like we are talking here, it must get to you if you’re not mega strong.”

He concluded that the difference between good drivers and world champions often lies in their ability to handle this pressure effectively.