Red Bull Racing has reportedly made a significant change to Sergio Perez's crew ahead of this week’s Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.
Hugh Bird, Perez's long-time race engineer, is temporarily stepping away from his duties to enjoy a paternity leave according to website PlanetF1.
The shake-up comes as the team seeks to revitalize Perez's performance following a challenging first half of the F1 season for the Mexican driver.
Perez has been facing increasing pressure to deliver better results to Red Bull within the context of the team’s fight in the Constructors’ Championship, in which it has seen its once strong lead built by Max Verstappen’s successive wins earlier this year dwindle to just a 42-point advantage over runner-up McLaren.
While Red Bull has publicly reaffirmed its commitment to Perez, the team is clearly seeking ways to improve his performance.
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At Zandvoort and for the upcoming four races, the temporary restructuring of Perez's crew sees performance engineer Richard Wood step into the role of race engineer, with simulator performance engineer Richard Cooke taking over Wood's previous position.
Although the changes are primarily due to Bird's absence, they also present an opportunity for the team to evaluate different working dynamics within Perez's crew.
In addition to the personnel changes, Red Bull is reportedly also considering reverting Perez's car to an earlier specification in an attempt to improve his performance.
The team believes this could help the Mexican driver regain the confidence and pace he displayed earlier in the season.
Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has publicly expressed confidence in Perez's ability to turn things around, highlighting the upcoming races as an opportunity for the driver to rediscover his form.
"Sergio Perez will be in the Red Bull Racing car after the summer break because we now have races on the tracks where he was good last year and we are relying on stability," Marko told Speedweek.
“Perez doesn’t have to become faster, but more consistent. And given the alternatives, he is still our best solution.”
With Perez expected to show good form at several of the upcoming tracks, the team is hopeful that the changes implemented next weekend, coupled with the Mexican’s determination, can carry their driver back into the group of front-runners on race day.
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