“It can break a teammate”: Max Verstappen showed Sergio Perez who the ‘master of the house’ is with his Miami GP heroics 

Austrian racing driver Phillip Eng mentioned that Max Verstappen's Miami GP heroics over his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez showcased that he was still 'the master of the house'.

The Dutch driver displayed a masterclass in overtaking and racecraft on his way to notching his third win of the season despite starting from P9. The reigning double-world champion had all the answers on Sunday and worked his magic despite being on the alternate strategy to Perez.

Speaking with Speedweek, Eng said:

“I think Max drives flawlessly. What he delivers is very difficult to top. It can break a teammate. I think the thing with Baku had Max very foxed that Perez drove the whole race in front of him. He didn’t have a chance to get past or get close. That’s why he showed in Miami who’s the master of the house.”

Eng feels that the title in 2023 is in Max Verstappen's hands, adding:

“In the end, it will come down to Max Verstappen. He can call up his performance at any time. He’s in the fastest car. The world title gives him an extra boost. A race like that in Miami is great for an athlete’s self-confidence – that can only help. As much as I‘d like to wish Perez, it’s going to be difficult for him.”

"When you're a teammate of Max Verstappen, you just always become second fiddle" - Tom Coronel

Dutch driver Tom Coronel stated that Sergio Perez should accept being second to Max Verstappen following his emphatic defeat to his Red Bull teammate in Miami.

He said, as per Motorsport.com:

"What does he think? It just doesn't work. When you're a teammate of Max, you just always become second fiddle. That's just how it is. How many times have we seen other drivers walk away with their tails between their legs? Think well not that you can match it. Yes, occasionally, if he makes a mistake."

"But in Q2, Max already had a faster lap than the one Sergio set in Q3. We shouldn't forget that either. That hope everyone is talking about... Forget it. There's no hope at all. There is only one way: when things go wrong technically with Max very often. Otherwise, you can just forget about it."

It will be interesting to see if Sergio Perez can bounce back in Imola and continue to challenge Max Verstappen in the European leg of the season.