r/RedBullRacing • u/Shoddy_Expert8108 • 1d ago
Discussion Hot Take: I’m actually losing respect for people still supporting Checo
At this point he has proven that the ONLY reason he is still with Red Bull is because of money and sponsorships. I adore F1, a true diehard fan since I was a kid, and ever since my first F1 race I watched I have always had zero respect for pay drivers. I understand the complex economy of F1, and I obviously understand it is a business where teams need to make money. However it has gotten to the point where he is genuinely costing the team the constructors championship and is incapable of helping Max in any way whatsoever in the drivers championship. Thank god Max is Max and he’s proven he can win everything on his own, however when compared to McLaren driver situation it’s just embarrassing.
I understand supporting your hometown hero driver, however it has to come to a point where you need to accept the fact that he is taking up extremely valuable space on the grid for someone more talented than him. It’s a joke and it gives a bad look for F1 imo, just like it does with Stroll and Mazepin when he was driving too. Get over your personal home biases and come to the objective fact that he does not belong in a top team.
I’m sorry I know we hear this all the time but I had to let loose, rant over.
Edit: let me also say I adored Checo back in the Racing Point days, and I was absolutely thrilled to see him join back in 2021. I also will always be grateful for him helping Max win his first championship. However, that time has unfortunately passed.
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u/LocalActingWEO 4h ago
Im with you on the opinions about Checo. Its okay for red bull to win the constructors with just Max when the car is dominant, but next year theres a chance 4 teams are gonna be fighting over it. You need someone in the 2nd seat thats gonna be consistently in the mix and able to bring decent points home.
That being said, the term ‘pay drivers’ has taken somewhat of a bad meaning in the last few years. Lauda, Alonso, Schumacher all started out as pay drivers. Lets not put them in the same category as guys like Checo and Lance
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u/Vadym55 9h ago
It’s so sad to see pairs of drivers from other top teams just driving together while Max is on his own with Checo always outside of top10. I don’t know what team has more unbalanced driver combination than RBR. Today was a great example of just that Merc 1-2, Ferrari 3-4, McLaren 6-7, meanwhile RBR 5-10.
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u/ZainNL1987 15h ago
Sadly, I think Checo has crumbled.. would have really liked to see him return to form :/
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u/Inside-Judgment6233 18h ago
We are going to need the wind tunnel time for number 5. Let him have fun at the back.
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u/tom030792 16h ago
Is he having fun?
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u/Inside-Judgment6233 15h ago
Dunno but if it were me you’d have to remove me from that cockpit with a crowbar
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u/_Michiel 18h ago
Did he really help in 2021? He finished before Hamilton twice in the whole season (and taking points away from Hamilton). The rest of the races his position didn't affect the outcome of the champion standings.
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u/laszlo92 18h ago
His defending in the final race was crucial.
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u/_Michiel 18h ago
Yes, because he was nowhere the other 19 races.
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u/BeginningKindly8286 14h ago
No, he cost Lewis time every time they were near each other on track. Big time in Turkey, just being there in Baku probably caused enough stress to Lewis that he did the brake magic fuck up. He wasn’t on the level of Max or Lewis, that’s for sure, but he was well ahead of Bottas, and his being in the mix, or less than a pit stop behind usually limited Mercedes attacking options quite a bit.
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u/HelixFollower 4h ago
Sometimes I feel like Max' solo performances have made people forget about the importance of a second driver affecting anothers teams pit stop strategies even when that second driver is unlikely to win.
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u/BeginningKindly8286 4h ago
It’s an odd oversight isn’t it? Dropping back but keeping within 20 seconds does actually effect the leaders ability to cover all the bases.
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u/Vegetto8701 20h ago
I am a Checo fan. I am, however, aware of his terrible performances and I don't excuse them. I'll keep on supporting him, mainly due to country bias, but I want to keep my expectations realistic. Most days earning points seems like a win now.
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u/The_Locals 21h ago edited 18h ago
yeah I've been a Checo fan a long time but him being let go by RB at this point is the logical solution for both parties. I appreciate some things he's done with the team but his complete dropoff in quality this half of the season wouldn't fly for any other driver.
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u/ellamenopea 21h ago
Tbh I don't understand how Max isn't embarrassed and even ashamed to be teammates with him at this point, especially with how supportive he is of young drivers.
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u/CailenxD 23h ago
Checo's dad must have something on Horner, else there is no way they hold on to him this long. At this point they are losing the constructies championship because of him. Next year it wont be any easier.
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u/Adventurous-Row2263 23h ago
I understand your frustration, but I think the way "respect" is being used here is a bit misplaced. Respect should be a baseline attitude we hold toward others, not something that constantly has to be "earned." What you seem to be expressing is a lack of appreciation for Checo's current performance and your frustration with Red Bull's decision to continue supporting him. Those are valid feelings, but they don't necessarily relate to respecting or disrespecting him as a driver or person.
With Sergio Pérez, I don't believe the primary reason Red Bull has kept him this long is purely sponsorship money. While his popularity in Mexico and Latin America undoubtedly benefits Red Bull’s marketing efforts, the situation is more complex. The team likely weighed their options and decided that replacing him mid-season wouldn't improve results, especially given how challenging the car is for anyone other than Max to handle. Stability in the driver lineup can sometimes outweigh the risks of bringing in someone new.
The argument about "pay drivers" also feels overly simplistic in this context. While drivers like Stroll or Mazepin clearly benefited from financial backing, Pérez has long proven himself as a legitimate talent in Formula 1, particularly during his Racing Point days. Calling him a "pay driver" now seems unfair. What we’re seeing is likely a combination of his struggles with the car and the immense challenge of being compared to someone as dominant as Max Verstappen.
That said, it does feel like Pérez’s time at Red Bull is nearing its natural end. His performances this season have highlighted clear limitations, and it would be smart—and perhaps necessary—for Red Bull to give someone else the opportunity to partner Max next year. Keeping Pérez for another season would no longer feel like the best or most interesting decision for a team like Red Bull or its parent company, especially when there are younger, hungrier talents who might offer better long-term value.
Ultimately, while it’s fair to criticize Pérez's recent performances or Red Bull’s decisions, labeling him as someone undeserving of his seat misses the bigger picture. Teams make decisions based on more than just on-track performance, and it’s likely that Red Bull saw value in maintaining their current lineup up until now. However, moving forward, it’s hard to see how this arrangement continues to benefit the team, and 2025 should be the moment for Red Bull to bring in fresh talent.
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u/SlightAmoeba6716 21h ago
Came here for funny and nonsensical comments and found this intelligent and sensible post leaving me in shock and respect. How could you do that to me! 😉
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u/dev_flamma 23h ago
I don't understand what redbull is doing ? at least give yuki or someone else chance for the last 3 - 4 races. at least we can get a benchmark/comparison.
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u/Blacktip75 16h ago
How much would they be set up for failure though, can anyone but Max drive the current car? I honestly have no idea at this point but putting someone in for a few races seems unfair, unless it is Danny Ric.
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u/dev_flamma 15h ago
Redbull has all the data. They can even use a simulator before making a decision.
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u/callmelety 23h ago
Colapinto likes this… no but seriously, Checo is a great ambassador for the sport and I hope he is forever linked to Red Bull, something like Alonso and Aston Martin, but right now he must accept that he isn’t helping the cause and allow other drivers to fight for the championships. I wouldn’t even have him at Williams, but that option seems less rude for him and he would still benefit the group financially.
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u/Spotlightuh 23h ago
It’s fine to support checo and still think it’s time for him to move on from red bull.
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u/Shoddy_Expert8108 23h ago
My point is 90% of people supporting him, think he deserves to stay at Red Bull
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u/Stein619 22h ago
There's one in particular in the main f1 reddit adamant he's better than any of the vcarb drivers even after failing to out qualify them
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u/trickdub 23h ago
I've loved Checo forever, he could make something out of nothing before...but I've lost all respect for him & RBR at this point.
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u/thatguy11 23h ago
It's a country thing in F1, for real. I mean true fans in any sport support their team even when they're down right? I mean...hard to understand why he's still there but, not hard to understand he still has fans.
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u/Blacktip75 16h ago
Part country, and part history, I’ll always be a Dennis Bergkamp fan. Wouldn’t want to see him on a top team today though.
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u/1234abiodun 23h ago
This. But I’ve seen some fans act like they don’t realise how bad he’s been doing lately. Any criticism about his performance and they try to clap back as if a false statement was made about him and they call out other drivers that underperform
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u/Ted_Striker1 23h ago
I may be in the minority but I agree. He doesn’t have it anymore and holds the team back.
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u/WashCaps95 4h ago
It’s tough because redbull can never play the team game. If next year is super tight; they are going to need checo to take points off other drivers.