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“Sergio Perez holding Charles Leclerc in Imola was no small feat”- Here’s why Red Bull’s recent upgrades make them favorites to win the Miami GP

Somin Bhattacharjee
Published

"Sergio Perez holding Charles Leclerc in Imola was no small feat"- Here's why Red Bull's recent upgrades make them favorites to win the Miami GP

Sergio Perez will be receiving a new upgrade ahead of the Miami GP which bolsters his and Red Bull’s chances this weekend.

Summing up Red Bull’s season so far is difficult. In terms of pace, they match the Ferraris but are lacking behind in reliability. Max Verstappen suffered two heartbreaking DNFs in Bahrain and Australia, which cost him a huge number of points.

However, after Melbourne’s disappointment, the Dutchman and his team bounced back emphatically in Imola. Verstappen qualified on pole and dominated the race from start to finish.

His teammate Perez too, put in one of his best performances in Red Bull till date. He managed to jump Leclerc at the start, and held his position ever since.

According to Corriere, Verstappen came into Imola with an upgrade which made his car lighter by around 4kgs. This gave the 24-year some unprecedented advantage, and it’s no surprise we saw him dominate the Ferraris.

The fact that Perez almost matched his teammate and held off Leclerc throughout the race has also earned him plaudits.

Also read: “Take the DRS off” – Sebastian Vettel does not want the F1 to rely on DRS usage for overtaking

F1 fans hail Sergio Perez for his outstanding Imola performance

Coming into the race in Imola, several people expected a tight battle between the Ferraris and the Red Bulls. However, it turned out to be quite the opposite. It was a nightmare weekend for the Italian outfit with Carlos Sainz’s race ending on lap 1 and Leclerc finishing on sixth.

Perez and Verstappen meanwhile, earned a comfortable 1-2 finish, making it Red Bull’s first since 2016. The latter got upgrades in Imola, whereas Perez is set to have his RB18 lose weight ahead of the Miami GP.

Corriere reports that the Mexican will receive the same upgrade his teammate did this weekend. The reason for him getting it late was because of the lack of production time.

When fans got to know about Perez’s stunning performance came without any upgrades to his car, they hailed him. Many expect the Guadalajara born drive to carry over his good form into the Miami GP this weekend.

Also read: “Formula 1, what is that?”- F1 journalist reveals how immigration at Miami Airport had no idea what Formula 1 is

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Formula 1 Editor Somin Bhattacharjee fell for the sport as well as Fernando Alonso on the same day — during the Spaniard’s thrilling victory at the German GP in 2010. Over the years, the passion magnified manyfold, and metamorphosed into a writing career in 2021. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. He has penned over 2,700 articles for TheSportsRush, presenting a diverse range — news reports, opinions, and exclusives. A true Tiffosi, Somin never gives up on a chance to defend the Ferrari boys as a fan. As a sports writer though, he remains objective to the core and relishes opportunities to follow and engage in dissecting the action during races. That’s where the real thrill lies for him. Beyond the racetrack, Somin plays different sports including soccer. He enjoys exploring other sporting events and proudly supports Spanish soccer club Real Madrid.

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