When you’re a Formula 1 driver, excellence is the only option. Moreover, when you’re in competitive machinery that can actually challenge for the Championship, anything less than 1st is an abject failure. But for Sergio Perez, there’s always a silver lining.

Perez began the season in stonking form. For a while, F1 fans even wondered whether we would finally see Max Verstappen being challenged for the title by his own teammate. Alas, that wasn’t to be. And this isn’t lost on Perez, too. For him, however, he felt that he hit his stride a little too late into the season. That being said, he’s only taking the positives to come back stronger.

At the FIA’s Champions press conference, the Mexican said, “It started very difficultly with the reliability that we had early on in the beginning of the season. But I think later on, we were quite competitive, we were very consistent. Then we had a few bad races that put us a bit behind Max, but we still managed to get some good points, good podiums, a few wins.”

“I think we got our season back on track for the final eight or so races. It was an intense battle towards the end with Charles and Ferrari.”

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Undoubtedly, Perez will do absolutely everything necessary to start 2023 on a strong note and finally mount a championship challenge to the incumbent king Max Verstappen. That being said, Helmut Marko isn’t in the mood to make it easy for the Mexican.

Helmut Marko doesn’t think Sergio Perez has what it takes to become a World Champion

To win in Formula 1, you’ve got to at least be able to beat your teammate. For Perez, if he ever wants to become a World Champion, logically, the only obstacle in his way is the Dutch lion Verstappen. But according to Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, if Perez is dreaming of Championship glory, then he’s living in a fool’s paradise.

The Austrian told Sport Bild, “Checo can certainly win a race or two. But at the moment I do not see that he can challenge Max for a whole season. In general, I don’t see that anyone with the same prerequisites can currently do this.”

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As long as Perez is at Red Bull, he’ll forever be under the shadow of Verstappen. That being said, does he even have another shot at a top team elsewhere? With everything said and done, can Sergio Perez ever become a Formula 1 World Champion?