Pressure is an evitable element in Formula 1, with every team and driver constantly working to keep their rivals at bay in an increasingly competitive field. But should anybody find themselves in a run of disappointing results or poor form, this tension can increase even further.
Sergio Perez knows this all too well, having come under scrutiny in recent weeks following some tough weekends. And while the Mexican’s seat at Red Bull looks safe for the rest of the season, he will still need to up his game in order to bolster the team’s position in the constructors’ championship as well as securing his own future.
It is a tough ask, but there have been several instances in the sport’s past where drivers have managed to bounce back after facing immense pressure – with one even taking the championship lead while doing so…
Pierre Gasly
After a promising start to his F1 career at the then-named Toro Rosso outfit, Pierre Gasly was promoted to the main Red Bull squad in 2019. However, when he struggled to match the pace of new team mate Max Verstappen in the opening rounds, the squad opted to demote the Frenchman back to Toro Rosso, while Alex Albon stepped in to replace him at Red Bull.
While the move could have dented Gasly’s confidence, the young driver was quick to show what he was capable of by scoring several points finishes during the second half of the campaign. This included a memorable drive to P2 in Brazil to claim his first podium finish.
Gasly continued to be on the ascent in 2020 and, at the Italian Grand Prix, clinched an emotional debut win. In the years after, the now 28-year-old shone as a team leader at AlphaTauri before embarking on a new project with Alpine in 2023, where he recently committed his future.