Sergio Pérez believes it is important that Max Verstappen also "respects" any Formula 1 team orders handed out by Red Bull as they battle for the World Championship. The Milton Keynes squad have started 2023 with three wins from three races, enjoying a sizeable gap in performance to the chasing pack - headed by Aston Martin. The championship fight already looks like an intra-team battle at Red Bull, with Perez eager to try and claim his first title as teammate Verstappen goes for his third in a row. Verstappen enjoys a 15 point lead after an Australian Grand Prix in which Perez finished fifth after a difficult weekend in Melbourne. And after the team orders fallout of late 2022, Perez feels it is important that Verstappen also abides by orders from the pit-wall.
Perez on Verstappen and team orders
"When you are in the fight for the championship, you've got to [bring] your A game every single race, and you have to try everything you possibly can," Perez explained to media, including RacingNews365.com , before the on-track action in Australia got underway. "But at the same time, I think it will be very important that we both respect whatever has been told by the team. "We are only on race number three [of 23 in 2023], so there is a long way to go, and it's better just to be fighting one guy, especially if it's your teammate, because that means the team is in a unique position. "Having Max as a reference, it makes you a better driver, certainly it takes everything out of you and also with the team, I'm more at one with the car and with the team, and I understand which direction I have to be able to take with the car [in terms of set-up]." Do you think Sergio Perez can beat Max Verstappen to the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section and by voting in the poll below!
Most read
