Sergio Perez looks beyond Brazil clash with Max Verstappen for the betterment of Red Bull: "It's not just about Max and me"

Sergio Perez recently spoke about how he is aiming to take Red Bull to new heights by performing better than last season. Compared to Max Verstappen, the Mexican looked quite weak and was unable to finish second in the drivers' championship standings. However, he will not only try to improve and get closer to the two-time world champion but also help the team as a whole against its rivals.

Speaking to GPblog, Perez said that Red Bull as a whole is more important than his individual fight with Verstappen. He appreciated all the engineers who worked relentlessly to provide the drivers with championship-winning cars and said:

''It is important that we work and think as a team. As a team, we have to maximize. It's not just about Max and me. It's about the team. There are so many people in the factory who give everything for us. I'm working very hard on my side with my engineers to make sure that we are able to, to go on to the next step."

Sergio Perez later mentioned how Mercedes and Ferrari will be extremely competitive in the 2023 F1 season. He even talked about some midfield teams making huge strides forward and becoming threats, saying:

"Mercedes was very competitive at the end of the season, as was Ferrari. I expect them to be there again. There are some midfield teams that are making big steps over the winter. We'll see once we are in Bahrain."

The pre-season testing in Bahrain that will commence on February 23rd, 2023, will reveal quite a lot in terms of which team will be dominant and which will fall behind.

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Sergio Perez is confident he can be a world champion by beating Max Verstappen

At the end of the 2022 F1 season, Sergio Perez revealed his plans to beat Max Verstappen and achieve his dream of winning his maiden F1 world championship. Though the Dutchman was extremely dominant in the 2022 F1 season, Perez is confident that he can beat him and said:

"The objective is to improve what has been done this season and fight for the championship. That is my biggest dream in Formula 1, and that's why I'm still here, I hope that in the next two years I can become a champion. Verstappen is the best driver at the moment, but I know that I can close the gap between the two and fight for the title."

Max Verstappen, of course, will not be the only rival for Sergio Perez, as he will have to fight the likes of Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Charles Leclerc, and even Carlos Sainz, who will be aiming to win the championship as well. Moreover, Red Bull might have to favor Verstappen in certain situations, even though they fairly support both their drivers.