Sergio Perez joined Red Bull in 2021 with high expectations, but his early months with the team were far from easy. Brought in to replace Alex Albon, Perez was tasked with supporting Max Verstappen at the front of the grid, yet he struggled to adapt to the car in the opening races. He failed to reach the podium in the first five rounds of the season, and pressure quickly began to build.

Things began to turn around at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where Perez claimed his first victory for Red Bull. From that point on, his form improved, and a steady run of podium finishes followed. By the end of the season, Perez had earned the nickname “the minister of defence” for his role in backing up Verstappen and helping him secure his maiden WDC. Over four seasons with the Milton Keynes team, Perez scored five of his six career wins and played a key part in Red Bull’s Constructors’ Championship success.

Despite those achievements, Perez has since explained that life at Red Bull was mentally demanding. He previously revealed that team boss Christian Horner told him early on that “this project was created for Max”, adding that “everything was a problem” whether he was faster or slower than Verstappen. That pressure increased in his later seasons, particularly in 2024, when results did not come and criticism intensified. “In the last years, it was so much that I said, ‘Well, maybe I do need help, right? The results aren’t coming,’” Perez admitted.

Speaking on the Cracks podcast, Perez also revealed that Red Bull encouraged him to see a psychologist during his difficult start in 2021. “As soon as I arrived at Red Bull, in the first races, when I didn’t deliver results, [the team said]: ‘What you need is a psychologist, you have to see a psychologist,’” he said. One visit led to a surprise moment when Perez arrived at the factory and was shown a bill. “They tell me: ‘Hey, there’s a bill for you: £6,000 from the psychologist,’” Perez recalled.

The Mexican driver said he had a simple response. “I tell them: ‘Ah, can you send it to Helmut? He’ll pay it,’” he laughed. Marko later followed up on the session, asking how it went. “He says to me: ‘Hey, how did it go?’ I told him: ‘Perfect. With this session, we’re all set,’” Perez said. Soon after, the results started to improve. “Already cured by the psychologist, the results started to come. The call worked,” he joked.

Perez was dropped by Red Bull at the end of the 2024 season and spent 2025 away from the grid. He is now set to return to Formula 1 in 2026 with the new Cadillac team, partnering Valtteri Bottas. Reflecting on his toughest moments, Perez said the situation at Red Bull was hard to handle. “When you have your whole team against you, publicly, it was very difficult,” he explained. “I think only someone very mentally strong can withstand something like that.”