Max Verstappen delivers ultimate display of power over Sergio Perez - Throwback

The 2023 Formula 1 season would ultimately become synonymous with Max Verstappen's complete supremacy, but the early rounds painted a very different picture.

Whilst the Dutchman secured victories in Bahrain and Australia, it was Sergio Perez who emerged as the star performer in Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan. 

The Mexican's impressive form left him trailing his teammate by just six points after four race weekends, setting the stage for what could have been a championship battle within Red Bull.

Miami presented Perez with his golden opportunity. Qualifying proved chaotic for the four-time world champion, whose first attempt was compromised when he ran wide and ruined his lap time. 

Charles Leclerc's crash in the dying moments of Q3 brought out the red flags, with Verstappen yet to set a representative time. The session would not resume, condemning him to ninth on the grid whilst Perez claimed pole position.

Race day, however, would showcase exactly why Verstappen has become F1's most formidable competitor. Starting from ninth, Verstappen began his methodical charge through the field with the precision of a surgeon. By lap 15, he had already carved his way up to second position and set his sights on the race leader.

The hunt for Perez proved more challenging than his earlier progress through the field. Verstappen bided his time, studying his teammate's driving patterns and waiting for the perfect moment to strike. In the closing stages, he delivered a tactical masterpiece, outsmarting Pérez to claim victory in what would prove to be a defining moment for both drivers.

That Miami triumph marked the beginning of an unprecedented streak of dominance. Verstappen would go on to win 10 consecutive races, a feat never before achieved in F1 history. 

Only Carlos Sainz, with his victory at Singapore whilst driving for Ferrari, would prevent the Red Bull driver from claiming every remaining grand prix that season.

The start of Perez's downfall at Red Bull

For Perez, Miami represented the high-water mark of what had promised to be his strongest championship challenge. 

The Mexican would never again stand on the top step of the podium during the remainder of the 2023 campaign, nor would he claim another pole position.

In the 17 races that followed Miami, Perez managed just five podium finishes, a stark decline for a driver in the sport's most dominant car. 

The momentum he had built during those early rounds evaporated, and with it, his realistic hopes of challenging for the drivers' title.