Sergio Perez calls Max Verstappen an all-time F1 great, says he is on the same level as Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna

Sergio Perez admitted that Max Verstappen is one of the most talented drivers in F1 history.

Sergio Perez calls Max Verstappen an all-time F1 great, says he is on the same level as Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna

Sergio Perez (image via Sports Illustrated), Ayrton Senna (image via Thefamouspeople.com), Michael Schumacher (image via EOnline.com). Max Verstappen (image via Autosport)

Max Verstappen is currently dominating Formula 1. The two-time world champion has achieved incredible success recently, with rivals failing to match the Dutch driver. Verstappen has won eight out of the first ten rounds of the 2023 F1 season, with his teammate Sergio Perez failing to put up a challenge. Yet, Checo publicly praised the reigning world champion recently.

The Mexican driver believed Verstappen had truly solidified himself in the history books. Perez claimed that the two-time world champion was one of the all-time greats in F1 history, putting him alongside legends such as Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna. He said, “[He is] one of the greats of Formula 1, like [Michael] Schumacher or Ayrton Senna.”

Certainly, Sergio Perez has felt the heat of being teammates with such a talented driver. The Mexican driver has struggled to match Max Verstappen as a teammate since his first season at Red Bull in 2021. Nonetheless, it seems that Perez does hold massive respect for the two-time world champion as the Dutchman continues to dominate the sport.

Discover: Five times Red Bull replaced a driver in the middle of an F1 season

Sergio Perez is way behind Max Verstappen in 2023

Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen, image via Thesportrush.com
Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen (image via Thesportrush.com)

Verstappen and Perez have had the privilege of driving the incredible RB-19 this season. The Adrian Newey-designed machinery has proven unstoppable, with the rest of the grid trailing the Milton Keynes-based team. However, Sergio Perez has struggled to make the most of his car in the last few races. The Mexican driver has failed to make it to Q3 in Qualifying for five consecutive rounds.

On the other hand, Max Verstappen has had a streak of six race victories. This has allowed the Dutch driver to increase his lead in the championship to 99 points over Perez. The reigning world champion has been on the podium in all the races, while Checo has only bagged five top 3 finishes this season. Certainly, the pressure has been building on the Mexican driver to improve his underwhelming results.

Thus, Sergio Perez did not shy away from praising Max Verstappen. The 33-year-old might have failed to put up a fight against the Dutchman so far. But Checo acknowledges the talent of the two-time world champion. Although, it remains to be seen if Perez can turn things around this season and potentially make things a bit difficult for his teammate.

In case you missed it