No major dents in the bond between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez despite last season's bust-up

Red Bull Team Advisor Dr. Helmut Marko stated that there haven't been any dents in the relationship between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.

The duo have been racing together since the start of the 2021 season and led the Austrian team to their first double championship since 2013 last year. However, there were some cracks that started to appear in the partnership during the latter stages of the 2022 season.

During last year's Brazilian F1 GP, Max Verstappen refused to let his teammate finish ahead of him in sixth despite orders from the team. The decision cost Perez two crucial points in the driver's championship for P2, which he ended up losing to Charles Leclerc.

Speaking to Krone, Marko said:

"We will see an even more confident Max due to his routine. How he has evolved is remarkable. In addition, he has become a real tire whisperer and has an incredible overview in the race."

"Sergio grows with Max. You have to put up with a teammate Verstappen for three years. Sergio didn't break down, that was a strong performance. But in terms of speed, Max is clearly superior throughout the season."

"It was a good day to understand all of that" - Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen started the 2023 season on a very positive note as completed the most laps of any driver and set the fastest lap during the first day of testing.

As per ESPN, the Dutch driver stated that he was happy with the performance and also gave a thorough analysis of his first day inside the RB19 in Bahrain ahead of the first race. He said:

"[The car is] a bit of an evolution from last year. I think last year was more a time where you were really adapting to the car, really understanding what you had to do. Of course, with all the knowledge from last year, I think it's already a much easier start for everyone to come back here.

"It's nice to see the new car, how it has evolved from last year, how the behavior is a bit different, and also because of the tires. It was a good day to understand all of that."

Max Verstappen and the team have put their best foot forward heading into the second year of regulation. It looks like they will once again be the team to beat on the grid in the 2023 season.