Sergio Perez Will Adjust Well Being a Second Driver to Max Verstappen, Claims Former F1 Driver
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MONTMELO, SPAIN: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Red Bull Racing Red Bull-TAG Heuer RB13 TAG Heuer on track during day two of Formula One winter testing at Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo, Spain. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
It was a match made in heaven when Sergio Perez put pen to paper on a one-year-deal at Red Bull Racing. The Austrian-licensed outfit had been crying out for an efficient second driver for a while, and they have finally found one in the Mexican.
But that said, Perez also knows that he has entered a world where driver Max Verstappen is naturally the obvious superstar of the team. At just 23 years old, Max has a dazzling future who has been tipped to win the world championship in time.
Therefore, the 30-year-old will still play an important part at the team, but just not in a lead driver’s role. Speaking in an interview, former F1 driver Robert Doornbos briefly explained why that would be the case.
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‘Red Bull Racing is Max Verstappen,’ says Doornbos
The former Dutch driver stated, “But Perez will of course end up in the domain of Verstappen. Red Bull Racing is Max Verstappen.” (translated via Google Translate)
“So it’s a really bold move from Perez too. At the same time, it was one he couldn’t turn down. But I expect that once it is clear that he is the second driver, Perez will also fully conform to that role and make it his priority to win the constructors title for Red Bull.”
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To the drawing board 📐 @SChecoPerez is all of us in Adrian's office 🤩
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— Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) February 10, 2021
The former Racing Point driver finished P4 last time around in what was a solid individual effort. But realistically, attempting to win the F1 Drivers’ title seems like a thing of the past for Perez now.
The 2020 Constructors’ runners-up team will allow Sergio Perez and Verstappen to battle on-track
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“But only when that is really clear. However, he is mature enough to acknowledge that [that he no longer has a real chance of winning the title],” concluded Doornbos.
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Sergio Perez of Mexico and Racing Point walks in the paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Another way to perceive the situation is that Red Bull would get no closer to winning the Constructors’ title if they imposed team orders on Perez. The Mexican has been the ‘king of the midfield’ for a long time, who could now race even further upfront with his new team.
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Therefore, allowing Perez to bring the best out of Verstappen and vice versa, only aids Red Bull in their perennially persisting objectives. Regardless, it will intrigue fans to see how the management goes about dealing those affairs in a grueling 23-race season this year.
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