Red Bull currently boasts the glorious lineup of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. But the former easily edges past his teammate in the pecking order and is Red Bull’s de-facto candidate for the championship.
But Perez being in the fastest car on the grid, surely has his title ambitions. However, so far, he hasn’t made any assertive claim to the championship contention and, most of the time is seen assisting Verstappen in his championship campaigns.
On the other hand, even Red Bull is more inclined to give Verstappen a longer bridge to the championship, considering he is easily hailed as the best driver on the grid. So, when it comes to Perez challenging for the championship, it sounds as unrealistic as it could be.
Also read: Lewis Hamilton Once Tried to Stop Halo Devices From Being Added to F1 Cars
Christian Horner claims Sergio Perez can’t challenge Max Verstappen over a season
There’s no denying that Verstappen can sustain the most intense title battle for a prolonged time. His competition with Lewis Hamilton is a big testament to that, and this is why Horner thinks Perez can’t be ahead of Verstappen in the championship battle.
“I think over a season, the form that Max has been in his, he’s the man to beat, Checo [Sergio Perez] has to strive for that,” said Horner to AMuS. “Otherwise, why is he competing? But I think over a season, Max is more likely candidate for the world championship.”
He then adds that Perez can optimize himself to that level, and indeed Red Bull wants him to perform like that to get the best results in all the races in 2023.
Can he go above his teammate?
Verstappen is currently the hottest property in F1. Surely his racecraft has only brought him there, but it’s more profitable for Red Bull to keep him at the top than anyone else.
Moreover, the Dutchman has more control over his race and the team than Perez currently has. The former can literally veto the decisions made by his team, as the Brazilian Grand Prix 2022 is a big example of it.
So, if Red Bull has to choose one among the two at the end of the day, they’ll go with the reigning world champion. However, it’s not like Perez can’t rise against his teammate. If he drops in exceptional performances like Nico Rosberg against Lewis Hamilton, Red Bull will have to turn an eye at Perez for once.
So, partially it’s in Perez’s hands to show himself as a candidate for the championship who is at par with Verstappen. He can’t control rest and is more likely in his team’s hands.
Also read: Christian Horner Highlights Logistical Challenge That Made Red Bull Avoid Any Deal With Honda
