One thing is very apparent since the 2023 F1 season started. Red Bull drivers are each other’s only competition for the top spot. Such is the pace of the RB19 that no other team or driver comes even close to winning the races. That shows in the results as well because Max Verstappen has accumulated 3 wins until now while Sergio Perez has 2. However, the narrative going around points to an easy championship win for the Dutchman over his teammate. Would that be the case if it was someone like Lewis Hamilton trailing him by just 14 points at this stage of the season?

It is not just Red Bull being miles ahead of everyone else is the reason for Max and Sergio going head-to-head against each other. The duo had a souring of relations last year in Brazil when Verstappen defied team orders to not let Perez pass. That was despite the fact that he has benefited multiple times from his teammate playing second fiddle to him. The incident drew a wedge between the two and the team has given them the go-ahead to challenge each other on the track since then.

Would the 2023 season be more exciting if it was Lewis Hamilton fighting against Max Verstappen?

2021 was perhaps the most exciting season the modern F1 era has produced. By the margin of a whisker, Verstappen won his maiden championship that year and hasn’t looked back since then. Hamilton, on the other hand, hasn’t found a car competitive enough to challenge the Dutchman. The same goes for the Ferrari boys who have struggled to match Red Bull’s pace. Charles Leclerc fought valiantly for the first few races against Max in 2022, but reliability issues and strategy failures ensured he wouldn’t go too far in his conquest.

Discussing the current situation in the season on a recent episode of the F1 Nation podcast, Natalie Pinkham said, “If it was Charles or indeed Carlos or Lewis or George who was just 14 points behind Max at this stage, we would be saying, ‘It’s all to play for’. I think it’s because it’s within the same team. We just assume that Max would be granted number 1 status and he would run away with it.”

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The narrative against Perez probably runs because Verstappen has 2 championships under his belt now while he failed to secure even the 2nd spot on the table last year. But the Mexican Minister of Defence has shown a reinvigorated hunger for the coveted championship win this year.

Sergio Perez believes he is worthy of a championship win over Verstappen

The way Perez has shown improvement over his last year’s performance is really commendable. His performance in Baku especially, against his own teammate, showed that he will take every opportunity that comes his way. It also shows in the attitude shift he has shown in his interviews lately.

Sky Sports F1 recently quoted him as saying, “I think with having three kids at home, I wouldn’t be traveling the world if I didn’t believe that I could be a World Champion, and I’m working towards that.”

“But, obviously, there is only so much you can say outside of the car. I think it’s important to deliver on the track,” he added. “I’m fighting for [the championship], but I also know that it’s a massive road ahead, so I need to keep my head down and just keep delivering.”

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The circus will now kick off the European leg of races with Imola this weekend. Do you think Checo can reduce the deficit or maybe gain over Max in Italy?