How are Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen similar to each other?

Sergio Perez reckons he and Max Verstappen are quite similar to each other unlike what many would think.

The Mexican has been a part of the sport much longer than Verstappen has and is much older, too. The two are in different stages of their lives and careers, as Perez is married and has kids, while Verstappen doesn't.

At the 2023 F1 Azerbaijan GP, Perez got the better of his illustrious compatriot and beat him in a straight fight. In the process, he brought himself back into championship contention, trailing Verstappen (93) by six points.

Tallking to Sky Sports F1, Perez also touched on his relationship with his teammate:

“It’s a great relationship between Max and myself. Because although not many people believe, we are very similar. We have a life out of the sport, and when we are at home, we pretty much disconnect from it.

"When we are on track, we come to try to do the best possible job; we try to beat each other. I’m sure Max will look at my data; we’ll look at his, and we are just pushing each other massively. I think this year is about not making those mistakes.”

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Sergio Perez declares championship aspirations

Sergio Perez also expressed his championship aspirations after doing a great job at Baku. Talking about what it takes to succeed on tracks like Baku, the Mexican said:

“It’s a track where you require a lot of confidence, a lot of corners, and you see that a lot of drivers clip walls during the race. It’s all about confidence, lap after lap and making sure you’re on top of your car. Having three kids at home, I wouldn’t be travelling around the world if I didn’t believe I could be a World Champion."

He added:

"I’m working towards that; there’s so much you can talk about outside the car; it’s important to deliver on the track. I think with all the issues we had in qualifying in Melbourne, we should be leading the Championship; definitely there is everything to believe we can do well this year.”

Sergio Perez has been able to bring the gap down between himself and Verstappen this season.

After beating Verstappen fair and square in Jeddah, he did an even better at Baku, where he was simply the faster driver. The Mexican could prove to be a potent contender for the title if he sustains this form.