The last Red Bull Racing Formula 1 podium delivered by someone not called Max Verstappen dated back to 21 April 2024 - when Sergio Perez finished third in Shanghai.
It was the Mexican’s fourth podium in the first five races of that year, which made it look like the Milton Keynes squad had finally got what it needed from its second driver. Checo was consistent, finishing second three times before that race in China, right behind the winning Max. A few weeks later, Red Bull offered the Mexican a new contract extension, even with Carlos Sainz available on the market as a free agent - only to see his performance drop and then completely collapse by the end of the year.
