Sergio Perez told to ‘accept their fate’ at Red Bull amid Max Verstappen’s F1 dominance

Follow us on Google Discover

James Hinchcliffe has shared a scathing verdict on Sergio Perez’s situation at Red Bull as Max Verstappen enjoys a dominant campaign in search of his third Formula 1 title.

The pair currently lead the way in the F1 Driver’s World Championship at the summer break. But Verstappen holds a 125-point advantage over Perez through 12 races ahead of his home Grand Prix on August 27. While Red Bull lead the Constructor’s Championship by 256 points.

Red Bull has a larger margin over Mercedes in second place than the 247 points total of the Brackley-based outfit. The Milton Keynes team’s supremacy also extends to give Verstappen a 165-point advantage over the first non-Red Bull driver in Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.

Two-time F1 champion Max Verstappen is in a class of his own in 2023

Verstappen has driven on another level to his F1 rivals in 2023 as the Dutchman bids to be a three-time World Champion. It is appearing increasingly likely with every race that it will be when rather than if the 25-year-old defends his first two driver’s titles from 2021 and 2022.

Through the 12 Grands Prix so far this year, Verstappen has won 10 including each of the last eight. Perez was the last driver to deny the Dutchman the win on April 30 when the Mexican won the Azerbaijan GP. Yet a safety car intervention also helped Perez take the lead in Baku.

Perez also won the Saudi Arabia GP on March 19 after holding off Verstappen in another Red Bull one-two. Verstappen charged through from 15th on the grid after his technical failure in qualifying. But Perez weathered his attack after a safety car period saw Verstappen grab P2.

James Hinchcliffe issues a scathing verdict on Red Bull’s Sergio Perez

Two wins in the opening four rounds gave Perez the belief that he could rival Verstappen for the F1 title. But despite Red Bull’s utter dominance over the rest of the grid, he has failed to maintain that challenge. Perez has only had four podiums since his last win eight races ago.

And IndyCar race winner Hinchcliffe believes Perez must now accept that he is only fighting to finish second to Verstappen. The Canadian racer and commentator is adamant that there is not much more to expect this season than seeing the Dutchman dwarf the rest of the grid.

He told the official Formula 1 website: “There’s not really much more that can be said about Verstappen and the level he is currently performing at. Yet, somehow, I feel as though we are still in store for some more devastatingly impressive runs in the second half of the year.

“The car is phenomenal, of that there is no doubt. But his killer instinct at all times, in all scenarios, shows you where his head is at when he is behind the wheel.

“Sergio Perez is no slouch but just as Nico Rosberg learned when teamed with Lewis Hamilton – or [Mark] Webber with Sebastian Vettel, or Rubens Barrichello with Michael Schumacher – every once in a while a single driver is operating at such an incredible level that all rivals can’t help but accept their fate: they are racing for second place.”