There is only one thing separating Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez in the 2023 season, which is their individual quality behind a single-seater. The two are driving an incredible car in RB19, both have won races, and only individual errors or one’s superiority in the car will define the championship. As the general perception goes, Verstappen is a far superior driver to the Mexican. However, Perez has his strengths as well. According to a former world champion, Perez will be pumped to showcase them heading to Baku and get a better foothold in the championship.

Heading to the streets of Baku, Perez, a street circuit specialist, will look to secure his second race win of the season and be level with Verstappen. A win, assuming Verstappen finishes P2, will not put Perez on equal points but it will certainly close the gap. A highly possible scenario given Perez’s specialty and his record in Baku. Speaking to My Betting Site, Brazilian former champion Emerson Fittipaldi also put his money on Perez.

“Now, Perez is going to be 110% motivated because he has the chance to win the championship. And he knows that. He knows that he has a chance to be the champion,” he added. “I’m sure that he will give it his all now because he believes that he can win.”

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The Brazilian is igniting the fire within Perez. A fire that is already creating a gap between the Red Bull men. There is a lot of excitement to come as the season continues. In fact, the increased number of street tracks will only make things interesting and favor Perez.

Fittipaldi explains the difficulty of street tracks and what Sergio Perez has on street tracks that Max Verstappen doesn’t

Fittipaldi believes the increased number of street tracks on the calendar is good for the sport. Street tracks encapsulate the entire city and make F1 a spectacle for the entire population instead of an isolated event for a select few. Additionally, in terms of the championship, street tracks favor Perez and Fittipaldi explains why the Mexican has an edge.

“His style of driving fits very well to street races. His record in street races has always been very good. When driving a street race you have to be fast and precise and you can’t make any mistakes because the walls and the barriers are there,” he explained. “It is a very difficult technique to master driving fast in a street race and he is doing that really well.”

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No one can predict if Verstappen will prove everyone wrong or if Perez will break the Baku curse of no repeat winners. Either way, plenty to look forward to at the upcoming Azerbaijan GP.