Sergio Pérez reveals £6,000‑per‑hour psychologist fee covered by Helmut Marko

Sergio Pérez revealed that Helmut Marko paid a £6,000‑per‑hour psychologist fee after his early 2021 struggles. The sessions, billed to Marko, helped Pérez secure his first Red Bull win and several podiums, but the cost now draws attention as he leaves the team after 2024.

Why it matters:

• Red Bull spends heavily on driver mental health, not just cars.
• Raises a debate on who should foot the psychological‑care bill – team, manager or driver.
• The disclosure may prompt other teams to reveal their own mental‑health spending.

The details:

• £6,000 per session, invoiced to Marko rather than the Red Bull factory.
• Pérez was told to see a psychologist after a series of 4th‑ and 5th‑place finishes in his debut season.
• Therapy came before his first win at Abu Dhabi 2021 and four more podiums that season.
• Despite a three‑year contract, Red Bull released him in 2024, noting therapy alone couldn’t restore his form.

What's next:

• Teams may formalise high‑cost mental‑health programmes as a standard part of driver support.
• Drivers could negotiate therapist access and cost coverage in future contracts.
• Regulators might consider guidelines for psychological‑support funding in F1.
• The expense could fuel broader debate on prioritising mental support versus engineering spend.