F1 star was forced to see psychologist by team and racked up £6000 bill for one call | F1 | Sport
Sergio Perez has recounted the story of his psychologist experience during the early stages of his Red Bull career. The Mexican racer was directed towards a mental health professional after his first run of tough results, and picked up a £6,000 bill for the pleasure, which was covered by Helmut Marko.
Perez joined Red Bull in 2021 after losing his Racing Point seat to Sebastian Vettel, and the 35-year-old enjoyed a strong debut year in Milton Keynes. He played a critical supporting role, taking points off Lewis Hamilton on occasion and helping Max Verstappen en route to the Dutchman’s first Drivers’ Championship title.
However, he struggled to beat Verstappen in 2022, and after a bright start to Red Bull’s dominant 2023 campaign, Perez’s form began to nosedive. He was cut from the roster at the end of the 2024 season after watching his team-mate lock down four consecutive titles.
Ahead of his return to the paddock with Cadillac, Perez gave an explosive interview with the Cracks Podcast. Among other revelations about his Red Bull career, the six-time Grand Prix winner recounted an amusing story about his short meeting with a psychologist.
He recalled: “As soon as I arrived at Red Bull, in the first races when I didn’t get results, [they told me]: ‘What you need is a psychologist. You have to see a psychologist.’ I was open to everything, of course.
“So I talk to the psychologist and say: ‘Hey, call me Sergio Perez‘, ‘blah blah blah’ from an English guy. I say: ‘Hey, today I don’t have time for a session, but let’s talk, look for a time. Perfect.’
“And one day he arrives at the Red Bull factory and says: ‘Hey, there’s a bill for you’ – for six thousand pounds from the psychologist. ‘Can you send it to Helmut, please? He’ll pay it.’”
Perez was gobsmacked by the revelation. “It was six thousand pounds for one call!” he continued. “So Helmut says: ‘Hey, how did it go with…? Perfect, with this session we’re good.’
“And that’s how we lasted 3 years, cured with the psychologist. Results started coming… in the end, the call worked. And then in the last years it was so much that I’d say: ‘Well, maybe I do need help – no results [are] coming’.”
Looking back at his struggles during the final two years of his Red Bull career, Perez instead pinned the blame on sub-par machinery, insisting that upgrades were directed to help Verstappen, and that he was pigeonholed into a number-two driver role within the organisation.
