Sergio Perez will be foolish to challenge Max Verstappen's supremacy at Red Bull

Red Bull teammates Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen had a falling out at the 2022 F1 Brazilian GP. Since then, the team and both drivers have made sure to dismiss any speculation about potential hostilities brewing in the camp.

The two drivers have made sure to show solidarity since and have put out the message that both will do everything possible for the greater good of the team. Having said that, it is certainly hard to look beyond what happened in Brazil and the words that were said.

Perez called Verstappen "selfish" in the aftermath of the race, and there were even comments from his father in the Mexican media.

There have been suggestions that the amicable nature of the relationship between the two might be over. The manner in which Perez selflessly defended against Lewis Hamilton in 2021 won't be repeated and neither will we see the Mexican play second-fiddle to Verstappen anymore.

There is also speculation that Sergio Perez could prove to be a thorn in Verstappen's side. For a driver that was out of an F1 drive at the end of the 2020 season and whose career appeared to be all but over, the Mexican needs to be careful before challenging the Dutchman's supremacy at Red Bull.

There is no Max Verstappen vs Sergio Perez debate

In the last two seasons that Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen have been together, there's no debate over who is the better of the two drivers. Even a cursory look at the numbers of the two drivers will tell you how they fare against each other.

Perez has picked up three wins and scored 495 points in the last two seasons, while Verstappen has won more than 25 races in the same period and scored almost double the points (849.5).

In terms of driving, there is no debate to be had between Verstappen and Perez. It is clear who holds the edge and does it by a significant margin. At Red Bull, if Perez wants to be a part of the team long-term, he will need to show that he's a worthy No.2 driver.

In his position, he cannot afford to clash with the team's lead driver or prove to be a hindrance of any sort. He has to play the team game because if he does not do that, he won't be serving the purpose that he was hired for.

Perez's performance is under the scanner

Despite having a superior car, Sergio Perez finished behind Charles Leclerc in the last race of the 2022 season to concede P2 in the championship to the Ferrari driver. The result raised further question marks about his credentials as an elite driver.

To make matters worse, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner admitted afterward that Leclerc had been unlucky throughout the season and hence deserved the P2 finish.

Overall, Perez's 2022 F1 season showed a marked improvement from last year, but it is pertinent to remember that Red Bull had a better car in 2022 as well.

In the last two seasons, Perez has lost out to his direct competitors despite driving a better car. He was outscored by Valterri Bottas at Mercedes in 2021 (Bottas scored 226 points to Perez's 190) and in 2022, Perez lost out to Leclerc in the battle for P2 in the championship.

As a pliable No.2 driver, Sergio Perez has done an impressive job but there are certainly question marks over whether he's getting the best out of the machinery at his disposal.

An alternative in Daniel Ricciardo is already available

This is one signing that should worry Sergio Perez. While Christian Horner has assured that Ricciardo was picked primarily for PR and marketing purposes, it would be foolish of Perez to think that the Australian would not be looked at as an alternative.

Despite his average results in the last two seasons with McLaren, the Australian is a brilliant driver, arguably a better one at his peak than Perez. He also has a great relationship with Max Verstappen and the Dutch driver does speak highly of him.

Will Ricciardo be willing to play the role of the second driver at Red Bull just like Perez did? At this stage of his career, when he is desperate for frontrunning machinery, he will take that role in a heartbeat.

Hence, if Perez acts out of line, is not a compliant No. 2 driver, or is not performing at the level he's supposed to, then a replacement in Daniel Ricciardo is waiting in the wings.

Sergio Perez will need to be very careful how he approaches the situation he finds himself in. The Mexican cannot afford a fallout with Max Verstappen and for that, if he has to bite the bullet and move on from Brazil last season then he should. Perez needs to be smart and not challenge Verstappen at Red Bull because if he does, he might be looking at a future outside of the team.