Perez Says Relationship With Verstappen 'A Lot Better' Despite 'Pushing In Different Directions'

Friday, 24 November 2023 at 04:00

Ahead of the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Sergio Perez talked about the relationship with his Red Bull Racing teammate Max Verstappen.

The role of a teammate in F1 is a little bit different than in the majority of the sports. In a sense, teammates in Formula One are the biggest rivals, as the other driver in their team is the only driver on the grid that drives the same car.

On top of that, they say that the World Constructors' Championship brings the money, but it's the World Drivers' Championship that gives the prestige, and that's why everyone wants to fight for race wins and championships.

The situation is no different in Red Bull, but in the 2023 season, it wasn't really a fight as Verstappen dominated his teammate. Despite one having tremendous success, and the other struggling at times, the season has been a success for the team.

On top of that, Perez and Verstappen got time to work on their relationship, and that's something that the Mexican driver discussed ahead of the last race of the season at the Yas Marina Circuit, where he famously helped Verstappen to win the World Championship in 2021.

"I think our relationship is really good. I think the whole engineering [process] when we are in all those briefings, through so many races, I think it's been good. We've been pushing at times in different directions."

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While admitting that both drivers had periods when they were demanding different things, according to Perez, it's important that their relationship improved, also thanks to focusing on the development of the car.

"But at the same time we've been strongly asking for the same stuff so that also has been positive for the team. I think it's been a lot better [this season]. I think it's always been good, this is our third season together so it's been a good one."

Verstappen has been the most dominant driver not just in the 2023 F1 season but in the history of the sport. No one has ever recorded more wins in a single season than the Dutchman did in 2023, and that's why Perez says that his teammate "has been on another level."

"I think it's how he's been dealing with it has been really impressive. I think he has done a tremendous job. He's been really on another level. I think it's great to see obviously. We've all liked to be in his position. But there's only one champion per year."

For the 33-year-old driver, it's important to always improve, also at this stage of his career, and that's why he wants to keep pushing to maybe see himself having a shot at the World Drivers' Championship.

Driving alongside the best driver on the grid at the moment therefore serves as a very good motivating factor, and that's why Perez wants to use Verstappen as his reference.

"I have the best reference out there because he was the one who was so competitive. So I think there's no harm in that. I think it's important to look at what he's doing, how he's doing it and try to learn and improve."