Not to mention that Sergio Perez wins a world title as his father predicted, might not even be in Formula 1 next season after Helmut Marko declared that the hoped-for improvement “didn’t happen”.

Perez was preparing for the Mexican Grand Prix, his home race, and was adamant that a good race could put to rest the rumors that his days at Red Bull were numbered.

Sergio Perez’s upturn “didn’t happen,” says Helmut Marko

But his chances of a good performance at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez faded in qualifying, where he ended up in 18th place due to a lack of pace and braking problems.

It’s his worst qualifying performance at his home race and it couldn’t have come at a worse time with his future hanging in the balance. Perez’s 18th place finish means he starts six places behind Liam Lawson, who is leading the race to replace him at Red Bull next season.

Marko was quickly ready to attack.

“Unfortunately, the hoped-for upturn that we all expected did not materialize,” he said Sky Germany.

“He complained on the radio about his brake problems. At least that’s what I heard. We have to see what exactly happened, but unfortunately the recovery we all expected has not happened.”

Perez’s latest gaffe came after his father Antonio Perez said it was only a matter of time before his son became Mexico’s first Formula One world champion.

“The best of Checo Perez is yet to come,” he told the Mexican publication Recording+ in the run-up to the weekend. “I am sure that in due course Checo will have the weapons and tools to fight for the world championship.

“I am very excited and can say that Checo will become world champion.”

Although that definitely won’t happen this season, as he is more than 200 points behind Max Verstappen with only five races left, Marko doubts it will ever happen.

“With all due respect to a father’s optimism, but…” he said.

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Helmut Marko criticizes Yuki Tsunoda’s “unnecessary crash”

But it wasn’t just Perez who drew Marko’s wrath, Yuki Tsunoda was also in the firing line after he crashed in the second quarter.

Although Tsunoda would like to be considered as Perez’s replacement next season, a spin in Austin followed by his crash on Saturday has Marko doubting his ability to handle pressure.

“It was an unnecessary crash, I would say,” he said. “He had that spin in Austin and now this crash in qualifying.

“We thought everything had stabilized, but now, under the pressure from Lawson, it’s noticeable.”

Tsunoda may have to start from the back of the grid as Marko revealed that VCARB may not have a new replacement floor, meaning he will have to switch to an older specification.

“It ran with a newer floor than Lawson, although I don’t know if replacement parts are still available,” he revealed. “If they had to rebuild it, he would have to start from the back.”

Read more: Winners and losers of qualifying for the 2024 Mexican Grand Prix