“I want to win as much as Max Verstappen does,” Sergio Perez refuses to leave an inch for his teammate in the run for the 2023 title

As the 2023 Formula One season progresses, it becomes obvious that the title fight will be between the two Red Bull drivers, Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. With Red Bull dominating the competition and winning every race thus far, the Mexican and Dutchman are separated in the standings by just six points. Perez remarked that he is just as fired up to be a champion as Max and is convinced he can beat anyone following his victory in Azerbaijan.

Sergio Perez had a fantastic weekend in Azerbaijan, winning the Sprint and main race and reducing Max Verstappen’s lead in the championship. He believes that if he can maintain this level of form, he can beat anyone on the track. “I think Jeddah [and Baku], they’ve been two strong weekends for me when I’ve been pushed by Max pretty much from beginning to end,” he said. “I think always when you do that, you believe that you can beat anyone.”

Perez is not shy of admitting that he has his eyes set on the championship title just as much as his teammate Max Verstappen does. “I want to win the championship as much as Max wants, but there is a lot of respect between us,” he said. Perez recognizes their level of rivalry and the desire to push themselves to the utmost, but he also recognizes their mutual respect for one another as teammates.

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Serio Perez reckons that mutual respect will be maintained despite a title rivalry unfolding

Despite the possibility of an intra-team rivalry between the two Red Bull drivers, Perez is optimistic that there will be mutual respect among them. “I think there is a very high level of respect between Max and myself, and the whole team,” he stated. “We will be fighting each other like we did today, as much and as hard as we possibly can. But I think with a very high level of respect to us and to our team.”

However, the pair’s relationship has been strained in the past. Their clashes in last year’s Brazilian and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, when they battled for the quickest lap, raised questions about whether they could maintain a cordial relationship. If Perez wins the next Miami Grand Prix, he will be the world championship leader for the first time in his 13-year F1 career.

Perez’s success in Azerbaijan demonstrated his abilities and reminded him that he is a force to be reckoned with. As F1 moves to Miami, it will be interesting to see if Perez can repeat his performance and keep up with Verstappen. Given Red Bull’s dominance, it’s difficult to see anyone else challenging the duo.

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