Sergio Perez could have a brand new race engineer for the following 4 F1 races, beginning at this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, Crash.web has realized.
That’s as a result of Perez’s present race engineer, Hugh Chicken, will go on paternity depart.
Pink Bull efficiency engineer Richard Wooden will briefly deputise in Chicken’s absence throughout the following 4 occasions, with Richard Cooke stepping up into Wooden’s position.
Crash.web understands that Chicken will probably be in attendance at Zandvoort to assist oversee the transition, earlier than his interval of paternity depart begins.
Chicken, who has labored with Perez for the reason that Mexican’s arrival at Pink Bull in 2021, is ready to return to his position at the USA Grand Prix in late October.
Talking in regards to the change in Pink Bull’s pre-race preview, Perez mentioned: “Hugh my Race Engineer is anticipating a child very quickly so will probably be spending a while at house and I want him and his household the very best of luck with their new arrival!
“Woody, my Efficiency Engineer, will step up within the meantime.
“I do know what we are able to extract from the automobile within the coming weeks and we’ll do our greatest to maximise the second half of 2024.”
The change doesn’t come at an excellent time for Perez, whose seat stays susceptible regardless of Pink Bull’s insistence after the Belgian Grand Prix that he’ll see out the rest of the marketing campaign.
Pink Bull bosses met on Monday after the race at Spa-Francorchamps to debate Perez’s future after a string of disappointing performances had led to intense hypothesis about his place.
Crew principal Christian Horner advised workers at Pink Bull’s Milton Keynes base that Perez would keep on into the second half of the season.
Perez has not completed increased than seventh for the reason that Miami Grand Prix in Could and has solely managed to attain 28 factors previously seven races.
He has subsequently slipped to seventh within the championship – a whopping 146 factors behind teammate Max Verstappen.
Perez’s poor type has prompted a headache for Pink Bull, who’ve come underneath growing strain within the constructors’ championship with McLaren solely 42 factors behind the reigning world champions.
