Sergio Perez will beat Max Verstappen in the 2023 F1 Monaco GP, here's why!

F1 pundit Peter Windsor believes Sergio Perez will get the better of Max Verstappen at the 2023 Monaco GP due to his superior traction at the exit of every corner. The F1 circus will be headed to Monaco next weekend after this weekend's Emilia Romagna GP was canceled due to torrential rainfall in the region.

Verstappen and Perez are currently separated by only 14 points after the Dutchman won the 2023 Miami GP from ninth place on the grid. Despite Verstappen's lead in the drivers' standings, the Mexican driver seems to have an upper hand on his teammate when it comes to street tracks - and Monaco is a great opportunity for Perez to bridge the gap to the two-time world champion.

Sergio Perez's advantage on street circuits comes through his stellar exits. The former Racing Point driver is able to get great exit grip out of corners, giving him an edge over his rivals. Speaking about Perez and Verstappen on his YouTube channel, Peter Windsor said:

"Perez has definitely got Sainte Devote. He's got exit of Casino Square. He's got Mirabeau. He's got exit of Portier. He's got the exit of the Chicane - 5. He's got the exit of Rascasse - 6 and exit of the last corner. So he's got seven corners out of... there's only about four corners that he hasn't got."

Sergio Perez could struggle to stay in title contention with Max Verstappen

F1 pundit Scott Mitchell-Malm believes that it will be difficult for Sergio Perez to mantain his title challenge against his teammate, Max Verstappen, as the season unfolds. Verstappen's exceptional performance in Miami showcased his prowess, as he secured victory despite starting from the ninth position on the grid.

In contrast, Perez began the race in pole position but was unable to clinch the win. Verstappen displayed remarkable speed, overtaking competitors one by one and surging to the front of the pack.

During the race, the two-time world champion was brilliant during the initial stint on the hard compound tires, outshining Perez's performance on the medium compound tires.

According to Mitchell-Malm, given Perez's starting position, he should have been the frontrunner in Miami. The British pundit raised concerns about Perez's ability to keep pace with Verstappen as the season progresses.

Speaking on the Race podcast, Mitchell-Malm said about Sergio Perez's title chances:

"It's not good that he couldn't win with Verstappen starting where he did. And if you can't win in those circumstances, he will struggle to stay in title contention because Verstappen will have very few of those weekends where he is out of position and Perez is given such an opportunity."

It will be interesting to watch the two Red Bull drivers in Monaco.