After a successful weekend in Azerbaijan, Sergio Perez took some time for introspection. Despite winning both the race and sprint event, earning a mammoth 33 points in a single weekend, Perez finds himself six points behind teammate Max Verstappen in the Formula 1 world championship. The memory of a disastrous qualifying session in Australia, where he was last on the grid, still lingers. Although he ultimately managed to finish fifth, the Red Bull driver knows that with his team dominating the competition this year, he cannot afford to have any off weekends. “Having three kids at home, I wouldn’t be traveling the world if I didn’t believe I could be a world champion,” Perez said.
The Mexican driver, aware that he will never have a better chance to seize a shock world title than this season, is determined not to squander his opportunity. In the past, he has often been overshadowed by Verstappen’s dominant performances, but this time there is no room for complacency. “I’m working towards that. It’s important to deliver on the track and without the issues we had in qualifying in Melbourne, we should be leading the championship,” Perez said. He emphasized that his goal is to become world champion and now represents the perfect opportunity to achieve it.
Notably, when Perez now says “we,” he is not referring to Red Bull as a whole. His days as the perfect teammate are over, and he means his garage, mechanics, and his people. This presents a conundrum for Red Bull team principal Christian Horner since the fight for the Drivers’ Championship will be between his drivers, similar to what happened with Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber over a decade ago. Since 2018, Verstappen has been Red Bull’s No. 1 driver, spurring Daniel Ricciardo’s departure and the firing of Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon. Taking over as the de facto No. 2 driver, Perez initially took a supporting role in aiding Verstappen’s drive to the title, becoming a fan favorite for his heroic defensive work against Lewis Hamilton in Abu Dhabi.
However, as Red Bull’s lead over the field has grown this season, Perez has come to realize the unique opportunity before him. With a dominant car at his disposal, he is Verstappen’s primary rival for the title. Verstappen, by contrast, is exceedingly dissatisfied and frustrated with the recent changes to the sprint format, which he strongly dislikes. He reacted angrily to a collision with George Russell on Saturday, revealing a driver whose patience is running thin. There are even rumors that he may not commit to F1 for the long term.
This is where Perez must strike. All five of his victories at Red Bull, including his latest one in Baku, have been on street circuits, which suit his driving style. If he hopes to challenge Verstappen for the championship, Perez must maximize his points before the summer break. A return to the streets of Miami, followed by races in Monaco and Montreal, are essential to his chances. By contrast, traditional racetracks, where Verstappen thrives, dominate the second half of the season. Damon Hill, the 1996 F1 world champion, has urged Perez not to panic, cautioning him that he doesn’t have to win every race but must avoid any retirements.
Despite currently leading the standings and being the overwhelming favorite to win his third title in a row, Verstappen’s recent behavior has gained more negative than positive attention. His hypersensitivity and angsty behavior threaten to derail him off the track. Perez must capitalize on this and tally maximum points if he intends to stay in the title race deep into the season. Only time will tell whether the self-proclaimed king of the streets does indeed have what it takes to dethrone the reigning champion.
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