The 2023 season so far has been run by Red Bull, the team that just has not lost a race in the 13 races that have taken place. However, of these 13 wins, only two can be claimed by Sergio Perez, while Max Verstappen holds claim over the remnant 11.
At the 2023 Dutch GP, however, there was a point where Perez looked like a contender for the win, with him leading the pack with an 11-second lead! However, Red Bull’s strategy was shaped so that Max could snatch the lead from his teammate, much to Perez’s confusion on the matter.
Perez was puzzled by Verstappen’s pit-stop strategy
For most of the Dutch GP, Sergio Perez was consistent and pacey enough to win at least a podium. After the initial pitstop chaos, Perez actually found himself clear of Max by 11 seconds, in a fight for the win!
Max was a close P2, and the norm in such situations as a team with drivers at P1 and P2, is to not actively disturb the order or to let the drivers race freely. By pitting Max before Perez however, Red Bull effectively shut down Perez’s chances of a win at Zandvoort.
On this, the Mexican has admitted confusion, saying “I’m not sure why Max stopped before me, but the team definitely has a bigger picture of the race; we will talk after, but I’m sure they did the right thing.”
He continues, speaking on the speculation going around that the two drivers are given totally different challengers altogether, “We’re a team, and we aim to have both cars at the top; I don’t think my car is different from Max’s.”
However, it wasn’t just the top spot he lost this race: the Mexican’s mistakes toward the end cost him a podium finish as well.
Sergio Perez disappointed to miss podium in Dutch GP
As the rain began to fall on the track, one of the first few drivers to slide off at Turn 1 before the red flag was Sergio Perez, who was running comfortably in P2 at the time. This mistake cost him P2 to Fernando Alonso. Later, upon pitting, a second mistake in the form of a rule violation (specifically, speeding in the pitlane), triggered a 5-second penalty to be imposed on his race, costing him the podium place to Pierre Gasly.
Expressing his disappointment with the situation, he said, “It was such a shame what happened with the penalty. I was very unlucky.”
The fact that he was unlucky cannot be denied- although he did violate the speed limit, it was only by 0.8 kph! Nevertheless, the rules are absolute and the FIA has to be strict with rules that are in place to protect safety.
Do you think Sergio Perez can fight back against Max this season? Do you believe Red Bull did the right thing here? Comment what you think down below!
