“Sergio Perez cannot beat Max Verstappen,” former Ferrari driver gives the Mexican a reality check

Tensions sparked at Jeddah after the fastest lap controversy between the Red Bull drivers.

Verstappen and Perez via Irish Mirror

Former Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger had his say regarding the balance of power and the current atmosphere surrounding Red Bull Racing, amid rumors of a rift between Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen. This alleged rift is the culmination of tension between the duo, which was reflected after the Saudi Arabian GP.

Berger voiced his interpretation of the situation after the controversy at Jeddah, stating, “That explosive atmosphere flared up only briefly because Max finished second and not first in Saudi Arabia. However, if they are both back in the front row, it will look different. No one can beat Max, not just Perez. It is bitter, but that’s just the way it is.”

Berger believes that any friction at Red Bull only arises when their superstar Max Verstappen hasn’t won. The team has always been inclined to favour the Dutchman, with him being their rising superstar since 2016. The team has always developed around him and pushed toward the goal of making him a world champion.

FS Video

The Austrian went on to praise Red Bull’s brilliant development and engineering, comparing it to the likes of McLaren back in 1988. He also emphasized how it would be desirable for the fans to witness a rivalry like Prost-Senna at Red Bull, but dismissed it on the basis that Verstappen was too good for it to be a possibility.

Sergio Perez is yet to give Max Verstappen a solid challenge

Sergio Perez was announced to join Red Bull in 2021, partnering with Max Verstappen after his brilliant displays at BWT Racing Point. The Mexican was initially inducted into the role of primarily Verstappen’s wingman, essentially supporting him and bringing in strong results for the team, while the latter remained the number one. However, in recent times Perez has improved immensely and now seeks to challenge Verstappen for the title.

Perez played an influential role in helping Verstappen secure his first world title, and the rapport between the two drivers seemed quite harmonious. Along the way, Perez secured his first win for the team at Baku 2021. His season was conceived as average, and he finished 4^th in the championship. He won 2 races in 2022, namely Monaco and Singapore. The atmosphere at Red Bull seemed positive until at the 2022 Brazil GP, Verstappen disobeyed team orders which deprived Perez of crucial points in his fight with Charles Leclerc for P2 in the championship, consequently leading to him finishing P3.

Matching Ayrton Senna with 80 #F1 podiums ? pic.twitter.com/VuMpYLPbaW
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) April 11, 2023

In 2023, Max Verstappen has enjoyed a stellar start to proceedings with 2 wins and one P2, and he stands 15 points ahead of Perez. At Jeddah, where Perez secured his win, tensions flared between the two drivers, with Verstappen snatching the fastest lap point from Perez on the final lap, allowing the Dutchman to lead the standings by virtue of that very point. Perez seemed discontent with the team for allowing it to happen, given he had dominated the race. This appeared to him as Verstappen being favored. He has since demanded equal treatment for himself and his teammate. Despite rumors of a falling out, he has insisted that there is mutual respect between Verstappen and himself.

Despite the fact that Perez is intent on mounting a title charge, at the moment Verstappen seems clear of the rest of the grid. He manages to extract more from the car than Perez, be it race day or qualifying. His dominance seems to be emphasized at every race weekend, and he repeatedly shows the world why he won two championships on the trot. Over the course of their two years as teammates, Verstappen has extravagantly bested Perez. In 2021 he outscored him by 205.5 points, while in 2022, by 149 points. The statistics denote that Verstappen is the superior driver.

Leaders of the pack ??

Championship frontrunner Max Verstappen has led over DOUBLE the number of laps this season as his nearest challenger and teammate Sergio Perez. pic.twitter.com/pak4XMRmnO
— Autosport (@autosport) April 17, 2023

Sergio Perez has set his sights on title contention and aims to push Max Verstappen to his limits with his recent form. However, the Dutchman isn’t one to roll over and will fight back with his ruthlessness and vigor, as we see him do every race weekend. At the moment, however, Verstappen clearly stands to be the superior driver.