Max Verstappen has included his name among a unique list of drivers who have won 3 Championships or more. However, Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull has been struggling quite a bit. Christian Horner has finally admitted to the fact that they don’t have the strongest driver duo.
“I think with a car like we have, he’s probably putting that pressure on himself,” said Horner. “The most important thing for us is winning both [drivers’ and teams’] championships. We’ve done that. And then, what’s the next best thing after that would be to have both your drivers first and second.”
“You can see Mercedes have a pair, McLaren have a pair, Ferrari have a pair that are quite tight between the respective drivers. “I think we’ve had that at the earlier point in the year. But as the season has gone on it’s become more variant. “We just need to get Checo back to the best form that he’s capable of.” Horner insisted Red Bull is “going to give all the support that we possibly can” to help Perez get his form back.
Christian Horner admitted Red Bull no longer has a pair of drivers like Formula 1 rivals Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren as Sergio Perez struggles against Max Verstappen continued in Qatar.
“I think with a car like we have, he’s probably putting that pressure on himself,” said… pic.twitter.com/ZBZNbjU9Ph
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) October 9, 2023
During the start of the 2023 season, Sergio Perez‘s performance was almost as good as Max Verstappen‘s. Although Perez is still 2nd in the WDC, he has failed to match the Dutch driver’s pace from the Monaco Grand Prix. This has allowed Max Verstappen to clinch his 3rd title with 6 races left on the calendar.
Christian Horner is hoping that the team can help the Mexican driver to get his confidence back. Perez will be hoping to match Max’s pace next season at the latest. Or else, he will be at risk of losing his seat in Red Bull.
Sergio Perez vs Lewis Hamilton: The next 2023 F1 battle to watch out for?
Red Bull is currently on track to accomplish a 1-2 finish in the WDC for the first time in the team’s history. However, Lewis Hamilton is putting up quite the fight to steal this accomplishment from the Austrian outfit. Hamilton has outscored Perez in the second half of the season. This could lead to an interesting battle for 2nd place in the Championship.
If Red Bull continues their dominance to the next season, it will most likely allow Max Verstappen to win another Championship. However, based on their current forms, Sergio Perez could find some difficulty is claiming 2nd place in the WDC.
Not only Lewis Hamilton but Fernando Alonso and Lando Norris will also have something to say to take second place from Sergio Perez. Over the course of the year so far, there have been a lot of changes in the performance of the grid. Despite these changes, Max Verstappen has remained on top in every single race.
Lewis Hamilton has outscored Sergio Perez at 6 of 11 race weekends since the Miami GP. He’s also outscored Checo 42-34 since the summer break.
Lewis currently trails Checo by 33 points for P2 in the driver’s championship. Talk about really maximizing the W14. pic.twitter.com/H4Mqu7jDGC
— Dan’s DRS Zone (@F1GuyDan) October 5, 2023
However, the last race may indicate that teams such as McLaren and Mercedes are closing in. In the last race, Oscar Piastri in the McLaren finished only 4 seconds behind Max Verstappen who won the race. Even George Russell was able to finish in 4th place after dropping down to last after his unfortunate incident with Lewis Hamilton. Sergio Perez who started from the pit lane, only managed a 10th-place finish.
If Lewis Hamilton or any of the other drivers are able to beat Sergio Perez next year, it is likely that he will lose his seat at Red Bull. According to reports, Daniel Ricciardo is the favorite to replace the Mexican in 2025. Of course. this would depend on Ricciardo’s performance next year as well.
Do you think Lewis Hamilton or Lando Norris will be able to beat Sergio Perez for 2nd place in the WDC next year? Post your answers in the comment section below.