1997 Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve has expressed surprise at Red Bull’s decision to hand Sergio Perez a new two-year contract extension.
“He has had his worst season ever at Red Bull,” Villeneuve said of Perez to Best Online Poker Sites. “Normally he would have an amazing first few races, but he hasn’t even had that this year. So, he’s collapsed on top of that! He was already behind Max at the start of the season and now he’s dropped another half a second. That is 10 cars on the grid. I don’t know what is going on.”
Villeneuve was less surprised by the news of Esteban Ocon’s departure from Alpine at the end of the season.
“It’s not surprising to see Esteban Ocon and Alpine part ways,” Villeneuve said. “There was no way Alpine could keep two French drivers with Ocon and Pierre Gasly. What’s the point? What’s in it for them? It’s a French team with two French drivers. So what market are they trying to hit? France only. It doesn’t make sense. There was always going to be one of them leaving. That was obvious. With that kind of move by Ocon at Monaco, he is not the driver you keep. He made the decision easy for the team.”
Villeneuve believes Alpine’s reserve driver Jack Doohan should be the one to replace Ocon.
“It has to be Jack Doohan, who is their reserve driver,” Villeneuve said. “They have been spending millions preparing him, making him drive in the old car for three years now. The logic would be to put him in there. The market is very volatile now. Everyone is waiting to find out what happens to [Carlos] Sainz, what will happen at Williams, Mercedes and of course Haas. There is a lot of movement waiting.”