Sergio Perez explains his MASSIVE gap to Max Verstappen in 2023

Sergio Perez has not been able to get to grips with the RB19 during the 2023 F1 season.

Sergio Perez explains his MASSIVE gap to Max Verstappen in 2023

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez (Via IMAGO)

The Red Bull F1 team has operated in a league of its own this year and the main protagonist behind it has been the reigning World Champion, Max Verstappen. Sergio Perez, on the other hand, has found it hard to get on top of the RB19 and, ahead of the Singapore GP, has talked about why he’s been lacking in comparison to his Dutch teammate.

The 2023 F1 season is fourteen rounds down, and Max Verstappen has won a brilliant twelve. Moreover, he is currently on a winning streak of ten consecutive races and is set on an eleventh triumph. Sergio Perez hasn’t been able to come anywhere near his teammate and feels there are specific reasons behind it.

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While shedding light on the same in detail, he said, as reported by Racingnews365, “It’s certainly something to do with his balance, to do with how he’s driving the car and looking after the tyres. Something that he found, and he’s been operating in that balance-wise, and he was able to cope with it already in Baku.”

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“I haven’t been able to adapt as quickly as I should and I had to change my driving style a bit to adapt into the car more than in the beginning of the season, when things were coming more naturally. But that’s something that most drivers at some point we go through.” Perez had admitted that Verstappen has been able to adapt his racing style to the RB19 more quickly than him.

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Sergio Perez needs to finish second in the 2023 Drivers Championship

Sergio Perez (Credits: Sportsrush)
Sergio Perez (Credits: Sportsrush)

While Sergio Perez has accepted that Max Verstappen has been in better form than him, the target for the former during the ongoing season is to finish at least second in the standings. Verstappen is out of his reach, and Red Bull expects him to keep hold of second place until the end of the 2023 campaign.

In case he is not able to achieve the target mentioned above, his place at Red Bull could come under immense jeopardy even though he has a contract until the end of the 2024 F1 season. Christian Horner and Co. are well known for being ruthless with their drivers, and Perez has no option but to perform.

Next up on the 2023 F1 calendar is the famous Singapore Grand Prix, which holds pleasant memories for Sergio Perez. He won the race last year, and going into this week’s event, he would be high on confidence, and several eyes would be on his exploits in comparison to his teammates at the tight and twisty Marina Bay Street Circuit.

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