The Australian Grand Prix allowed all ten teams to make further conclusions about their current driver line-ups with plenty of uncertainty floating around the paddock.
With so many drivers fighting for their positions on the grid for 2025 – and one driver already at risk of losing his seat mid-season – the microscope is firmly on every session for each competitor.
Talking on The Chequered Flag Podcast, BBC Sport commentator Harry Benjamin was unimpressed with what he saw from one of the more experienced drivers on the grid.
Max Verstappen’s retirement provided a very rare opportunity for his rivals to capitalise on his first DNF in two years.
It was Carlos Sainz who took the chequered flag first with teammate Charles Leclerc right behind him.
The two McLarens were next to cross the line boosting their chances of finishing above Mercedes and Aston Martin in the Constructors’ Championship.
However, that left Sergio Perez is fifth and Benjamin now believes the Mexican is not quick enough to be occupying a seat in the fastest car on the grid.
Sergio Perez not good enough for Red Bull’s second seat – Benjamin
It doesn’t happen very often in this current era of Formula 1, but three drivers stood on the podium and didn’t have to listen to the Dutch national anthem.
Instead, the Ferrari pit crew standing underneath their two drivers, belted out the iconic Italian anthem much to the delight of the Australian crowd.
Sergio Perez hasn’t had too many opportunities to win races while at Red Bull despite the car’s dominance over the rest of the field.
He showed at the beginning of last season that he can hook it up on specific street circuits but otherwise, Verstappen is the superior driver.
Unfortunately, qualifying has once again been his Achilles heel and he’s yet to start on the front row of the grid.
Although Christian Horner suggested he had an issue with his car on Sunday that even he was unaware of, he was way off the pace of the cars in front.
Oscar Piastri commented that he couldn’t believe the Mexican wasn’t chasing him down for fourth in the final stint.
Benjamin now believes that Perez is not good enough to justify occupying the second seat at Red Bull.
With his contract expiring at the end of the season, if the team are having the same thoughts, then he’ll be out the door for 2025.
Benjamin unconvinced by latest Perez outing
Talking about the 34-year-old, Benjamin said: “Really disappointing from Perez, his job in that team is to be [the] number two driver and to be there, to take the win when Max Verstappen is unable to.
“So far, we haven’t really had the need for that role to be filled, today is when he should have been there.
“But you know what, even if he had started third where he had initially qualified, he was given a three-place grid penalty for impeding Nico Hulkenberg in qualifying, but even if he had started in third, the pace compared to Ferrari on Perez’s side wasn’t enough.
“Today’s race unfortunately confirmed that Perez isn’t the right man to be in that number two seat at Red Bull. That is overarchingly what this shows.
“If something happens like this again where not only is Verstappen out of the race but it’s tighter than normal between the top teams Red Bull and Ferrari, even if Perez started in third, he would have been overtaken by Leclerc.
“He would have fallen back through the field and that’s the bigger issue here.”
Perez could be under pressure from Carlos Sainz
If finishing fifth wasn’t bad enough for Sergio Perez in Australia, then the most promising free agent on the market taking the victory might have been even worse.
Christian Horner made sure to praise the Spaniard after taking victory just two weeks after major surgery and that might worry Perez’s camp.
If Red Bull decide that Perez is not the right man for the second Red Bull seat in 2025, then Sainz will be at the front of the queue to replace him.
Mercedes have also been urged to consider the 29-year-old, but given their struggles, Sainz would is unlikely to lean that way when deciding on the next step of his career.
Perez knows what he’s got to do to put things right and Suzuka might be the perfect place to do so.
Red Bull are expected to be very quick in Japan and a front-row start and second-place finish behind Verstappen would do the Mexican the world of good.
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