"He knows he's there": Sergio Perez has got to be more 'Rosberg 2016'

F1 pundit Anthony Davidson claims Sergio Perez needs to be more like former Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg during his run in 2016. The Mexican driver needs to play to his strengths if he wants to beat Max Verstappen in the drivers' championship this year, according to Davidson.

Checo and Verstappen are currently separated by just six points after the Mexican stormed to victory at the 2023 Azerbaijan GP. The former Racing Point driver is cementing himself as the king of street circuits, being the only repeat winner at Baku's difficult circuit.

However, beating Max Verstappen to the title is going to be no easy feat for the Mexican driver, given the Dutchman's dominant form these days. Former driver Anthony Davidson claims Perez knows his strengths and must play to them, much like Nico Rosberg did against Lewis Hamilton in 2016.

Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 podcast, Davidson said about Sergio Perez:

"He knows he's there. You've got to be more Rosberg 2016, that's what you've gotta do. I think it's now time for Sergio to stop being 'Mr. Nice Guy'. He's got to take a leaf out of Rosberg 2016 and maybe, as much as it might hurt - to be the guy he doesn't want to be - he's got to make sacrifices and decisions this season that might not be the way his family doesn't want him to go."

Sergio Perez backed to have a long F1 career

Former driver-turned-analyst Pedro de la Rosa is confident in Sergio Perez's ability to prolong his F1 career, citing the Mexican's extensive experience with midfield teams. De la Rosa even suggested that Perez could potentially outlast his teammate Max Verstappen in the sport.

While Verstappen, 25, has expressed his desire to not follow Fernando Alonso's footsteps by racing into his 40s, Perez, who is 33, intends to race in F1 for the next decade according to his father.

Perez is determined to succeed with Red Bull, in contrast to Verstappen who, despite his contract with the team until 2028, has shown an interest in exploring other racing opportunities beyond F1.

De la Rosa attributes this difference in perspective to the divergent career paths that Verstappen and Perez have taken in F1. Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, the Spaniard said:

“So I think that one very important thing is, if you start your career in Formula 1 and are on a winning team, or you are staying at an early age of your Formula 1 career in a top team, it’s easy to lose interest or motivation towards the end."

"And that could be after five years, eight years or 14. But when you have been on the tough end, you appreciate what you have. And what Checo has right now is hugely interesting. He can wake up every Sunday morning thinking if I have a good day today, I can win this one."

With Sergio Perez only six points behind Max Verstappen in the drivers' standings, it will be interesting to follow the Mexican's progress.