Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko says Sergio Perez's improved form is the result of the Mexican finally waking up from his F1 "title dream".
Perez miserable spell of performance started in Monaco where he crashed in qualifying, but extending to the following races when, while putting small points on the board on race day, he was incapable of qualifying among the top ten despite driving the fastest car in the field.
In Hungary, Perez finally made the Q3 cut and in Spa on Friday, he qualified third behind his dominant Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.
Perez' strong start to his 2023 campaign, when he traded wins with Verstappen in the first four races of the season, logically spawned thoughts of contending for the world title.
But that prospect was shattered in the wake of his dismal period of underperformance which inevitably also sparked speculation about his future at Red Bull.
Speaking to Sky Germany in Spa this weekend, Marko set the record straight on the latter while addressing the former.
"We have a contract with Perez until the end of 2024," he said. "He is second in the world championship. What need do we have to take action?
"He has now woken up from his world championship dream. Maybe that will help him to focus again on delivering the best possible performance."
©RedBull
Marko suggested that it would be a tall order for any teammate going up against Verstappen to consistently beat the Dutchman who remains "underestimated" according to the Red Bull chief .
"Max is underestimated," said the Austrian. "He is an exceptional driver. Just looking at the mental capacities he still has. He even noticed on the radio when my mobile rang! [in FP2 during the Spanish GP].
"He has such talent, such speed. And he's on cloud nine, no one would look good next to him. Verstappen is a completely different yardstick.
"That Perez has to be within three tenths of Max is a generous interpretation on our part. Sometimes it was more.
"Perez is second in the world championship. More is not possible for him. He is fulfilling that at the moment."
The Austrian recognized Perez's racer qualities but insisted he has never been a one-lap ace.
"He delivers very good races, he overtakes well. Only the mistakes in qualifying are there. That has always been his weakness," he said.
"Even at our junior qualifying in Estoril [Portugal] years ago, Ricciardo and Perez were very young back then. We simulated qualifying runs and long runs.
"They were the fastest, but Perez wasn't there in qualifying."
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter
