Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen tried hard to take any heat out of the explosive Red Bull duel for the Formula 1 title. “There’s a high level of respect between Max and me,” Perez said after winning the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where he edged out world champion Verstappen to second place. Since the Mexican had previously won the sprint, he increased the pressure on the Dutchman enormously.
“The fight between the two bulls is going to be really hot,” said the “Gazzetta dello Sport” on Monday. The champion is only six points ahead of the challenger, who clearly formulated his goal: “Of course I want to win the title – but Max wants that too.”
And Verstappen in particular is known for not making any compromises. The 25-year-old sees himself as the clear number one. It seems difficult to imagine that Perez would stop him. “Checo has been showing really strong performances so far, he feels good and self-confident in the car,” Verstappen nevertheless praised his teammate: “You have to recognize and appreciate what he’s doing.” But it’s also Verstappen who made such sentences just a few weeks ago formulated: “I’m not here to be second.”
Even if both gave a harmonious picture at the Caspian Sea, there is a lot of fuel in the title fight. Verstappen has ignored instructions from the team in the past. In Baku, however, he was unlucky due to an early tire change and lost the top position through no fault of his own.
Perez took full advantage of that, made no mistakes and raced to his second win in four races. The Mexican was “the king of the street circuits” according to “L’Équipe”. Verstappen won the other two Grand Prix. If Perez hadn’t had technical problems in Australia, he might even have been up front.
We’re going to fight each other as hard as we can but I think with a high level of respect.
Sergio Perez about the duel with Max Verstappen
“We’re going to fight each other as hard as we can but I think with a high level of respect,” Perez said. Their cars are way ahead of the competition, with signs early in the 23-race season that no one else is going to intervene in the championship fight.
“We’ve done everything, tried everything, but the truth is: we’re not fast enough. We just don’t have enough power,” said Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who finished third.
There were no stable orders in Baku
Verstappen knows that Perez and he have “the fastest car”, but also noted: “It’s about consistency, because it’s still a very long season with many different tracks.” It continues in Miami on Sunday, even then the Red Bulls will determine what happens. “I don’t think anything will change about that,” Perez replied when asked if he expected tensions in the relationship between the pilots.
In Baku, both were able to drive freely. Motorsport consultant Helmut Marko revealed that Perez asked on the radio shortly before the end if he should slow down. Why? So that Verstappen can simply pass by. But (yet) there are no stable orders as has happened in the past. But the scene shows what Perez is afraid of.
2010
Sebastian Vettel and teammate Mark Webber came dangerously close in Istanbul
Defending champion Verstappen wants to win World Cup number three with performance on the track. But how much risk will Red Bull take? When is intervention necessary? “No risk, no fun,” said Marko with a laugh at Sky. Early in the year he sees no need for action. But at the latest when the world championship leaders overdo it and collide, that should change quickly.
They have experience with such situations in the team. Sebastian Vettel and Australian Mark Webber gave each other nothing on and off the track, the negative highlight was an accident in 2010 in Istanbul. Webber was held responsible, Vettel emerged victorious from the situation and then became world champion four times.
At the time, Red Bull, led by team boss Christian Horner, didn’t really handle the power struggle in their own garage with confidence. It will be exciting to see how the rivalry between Verstappen and Perez develops if it stays this close. Both are not considered best friends, but neither are they bad enemies. “Sergio Perez will not get involved in any topic in which he will have to support Verstappen in the future. I’m sure of it,” wrote former Formula 1 driver Timo Glock in his Sky column.
Perez no longer wants to be a helper, no number two. “Definitely” the goal is to become champion, he emphasized again. In Azerbaijan he showed with flying colors how to defeat Verstappen. “It was very close between us, we put the pressure on to the maximum,” said the six-time Grand Prix winner, admitting: “It was really tough, but I was able to keep him under control.” And we couldn’t do that in the end many.
