Why is Checo Perez asking to go back to the previous version of the RB19?

Sergio “Checo” Perez, the Mexican Formula One driver, expressed his desire to use the same car he drove up to the Spanish Grand Prix on May 9, 2021. It was a race where the balance of power in the Red Bull Racing team turned entirely in favor of his teammate, Max Verstappen. The Dutch driver clinched the victory, leaving Perez behind by more than 60 seconds.

Although many pundits think that the decisive race in the internal battle at Red Bull was the one in Miami on May 23, 2021, Perez was convinced that the changes made to the RB19 before the Spanish Grand Prix deprived him of the chance to fight against the world champion. The 31-year-old driver, who joined the team in 2021, has had a bumpy start to the season, with inconsistent performances and bad luck. However, Perez remains optimistic about his chances to challenge Verstappen and fight for the championship title.

Red Bull experimented with a new floor for their RB19 car during the Barcelona race. However, the change did not sit well with Sergio, who expressed dissatisfaction with how the new floor affected the car’s behavior. According to a report by the German magazine “Auto Motor und Sport,” Perez requested that the team revert to the previous floor, but Red Bull declined his request.

The refusal was because using two different cars in one race weekend could have caused logistical and technical problems for the team. The decision to stick with the new floor was strategic, even if it did not please Perez.