‘He doesn’t have the strength to bring the fight to Max,’ Damon Hill doubts Sergio Perez’s ability to compete for the title

Perez has put up an admirable fight to Verstappen so far

Sergio Perez,Max Verstappen and Damon Hill

Red Bull once again dominated the proceedings on the race weekend in Baku, finishing 1-2, a familiar sight now for the Austrian team. Sergio Perez took the checkered flag first, closely followed by his teammate Max Verstappen. Perez inherited the lead after a strategy error saw Verstappen drop down the order, and he converted it into a win.

Damon Hill, former F1 world champion-turned-pundit, is skeptical that Sergio Perez could have caught up and overtaken Max Verstappen in Azerbaijan if Verstappen had not been impacted by an early safety car. Although Perez benefited from Nyck de Vries’ crash, which allowed him to make a swift pit stop and take the lead, Hill believes that Perez may not have had the necessary pace to catch up to Verstappen if the roles were reversed.

Speaking on the F1 Nation Podcast, he said, “Probably, if Max didn’t get unlucky with the Safety Car and had track position over Sergio, I’m not sure Sergio has got the strength to bring the fight to Max in a long-distance race because they were very evenly matched.” He praised the manner in which the Mexican held the ruthless Dutchman at bay in Jeddah as well. Hill believes that in a race with no incidents regarding being reliant on pure ability, Max Verstappen comes out on top.

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Perez initially pulled away from Verstappen due to the latter enduring issues with the balance of his car, as well as his tire temperatures. However, once resolved, he began to close the gap to Perez slowly but surely. Perez’s win in Baku makes him the first driver ever to win two races at this venue, his previous triumph being in 2021.

Sergio Perez or Max Verstappen- Who will emerge victorious?

Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen via Daily Star

The Mexican’s role as a wingman is an aspect of the past now, with times changing at Red Bull Racing. Their ideal partnership ever since Daniel Ricciardo’s departure in 2019 has always placed Max Verstappen on the pedestal as their prodigy and number one. Perez was initially compliant in this role and was crucial in assisting Verstappen, who secured his maiden title in 2021.

However, throughout 2022, with their relationship rumored to be growing sour, plagued by discord, Perez’s ambitions have grown, and he now seeks to dethrone the Dutch Lion. He made his intentions clear after he won in Saudi Arabia, keeping his teammate at bay. His request for] the team to allow them to race unhindered has been granted, implying that the battle comes down to just the pair of them on track.

?: Damon Hill says Sergio Perez must fight for the World title and stand his ground against Max Verstappen. Although Verstappen currently leads by a point, Perez showed he has the pace to beat him. Hill believes Perez has a better chance than anyone seen so far and has a duty to… pic.twitter.com/CCxRxaINQT
— F1 Naija (@f1_naija) March 29, 2023

Perez has won two out of the four races this year and lies six points near the leader Verstappen. His consistency will be tested in the coming weeks. To claim the title, the superstar hailing from Mexico must secure wins beyond his proclivity for success at street circuits. Only 5 such tracks remain, with Verstappen’s strength being permanent race circuits.

Many believe he has no mettle to compete with Verstappen, who is accustomed to being ruthless and dominant on track. However, Perez is Verstappen’s first contender since he was crowned world champion, and with Red Bull far ahead of the field, the title fight will be between their own drivers. The races at Miami and Imola will be instrumental in determining whether Perez’s title charge bears any potential, as once Verstappen gains momentum, he will run away with it.