F1 News: Red Bull Advisor Puts Sergio Perez In His Place As Heat With Max Verstappen Continues
Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has put Sergio Perez in his place, squashing his hopes of the championship win amid the ongoing battle with his teammate Max Verstappen.
Marko has explained in a recent interview with F1autojournal, that whilst the Mexican driver has come a long way with his driving, Verstappen has always been the "big favourite between the two".
Marko commented:
“I can understand everyone's expectations, and we've highlighted how Checo has come a long way since the start of the year. But for me, it was always clear that Max was the big favourite between the two.
“On some street circuits, like in Jeddah and Baku, Checo is really strong. But I think Max taught everyone in Miami, Checo included, a lesson. Nobody can copy the way he has managed his tires in such a way that it is always possible to achieve the fastest lap at the end of the Grand Prix. And imagine what the gaps would have been like if Max had started from pole…”
“Max, as we all know, is capable of setting incredible times in extreme situations, which very few drivers can do. And in Miami, he again showed his potential in terms of tire management, which allowed him to set the fastest lap on the penultimate lap of the Grand Prix. A 1:29.708 with worn tires, an incredible time!"
Perez had a boost of motivation to fight for the championship after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend where he took the victory in both the sprint race and grand prix. After Baku there were just six points between him and his teammate in the standings.
Adding to this, Perez took pole position for the Miami Grand Prix but unfortunately lost the race to Verstappen on Sunday finishing in second place behind him. Going into the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in just over a week, there are fourteen points between the two drivers.