“Max Is the Champion Because of Checo”: Sergio Perez Stops the Red Bull Revolving Door as the Minister of Defense Proves His Place Alongside Verstappen

The confusion surrounding the points system for the Japanese GP might’ve taken center stage initially. However, after the dust settled, it was Max Verstappen who collected all the accolades for winning his second world championship. Although, for the second year in a row, credit also goes to Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez.

Perez showcased he is the perfect teammate for Verstappen with his sturdy defense against Lewis Hamilton in 2021 in Abu Dhabi. The Mexican did something similar, but this time from the back, during the Japanese GP. Perez’s push on Leclerc on the penultimate lap forced the Ferrari man off track.

The move that forced Leclerc off track and earned Verstappen the championship was all down to Perez’s relentlessness. Even Italian journalist Juan Fossaroli among the Red Bull bosses enjoyed Perez’s last lap bout.

“It was (Christian) Horner, Checo, (Adrian) Newey, watching the last laps with Checo fighting with Charles Leclerc. Each time they were very close, everybody in the team screaming. I mean, Checo did a great job. Max is the champion because of Checo. He’s the champion in this race,” Juan Fossaroli expressed his opinion on Checo’s race.

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It’s good to see Sergio Perez’s contribution is not being overlooked. The Mexican has been an incredible teammate to the Dutchman and the two will soon help their team to the constructors’ championship as well.

With Checo’s contribution in Abu Dhabi and now Japan, the Mexican is probably Verstappen’s best teammate.

How does Max Verstappen feel about Sergio Perez as a teammate?

Make that definitely the best teammate, as the Dutch world champion admitted earlier in the year.

“I started, of course, very young in Formula 1 and I had, I think, also a very good relationship with Daniel,” said Verstappen

“But at the time I was still only 18, 19 and I think where I am now as a person is completely different. So I would say what I have now with Checo is definitely the best, just because I matured a lot, and I think that also helps a lot with just how you approach each other,” he explained how he makes a better pair with Perez.

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Apart from maturity, Perez has proved himself yet again as the ultimate team player with his performance in Japan.