Sergio Perez, Red Bull’s talented driver, revealed that a combination of his own mistake and a cautious approach to preserve his Red Bull RB19 inflated the final margin of his defeat against his teammate, Max Verstappen, at the Belgian Grand Prix.
With a five-place grid penalty due to a gearbox change, Verstappen had to start from P6 on the grid. However, it didn’t take long for the Dutchman to assert his dominance, as he swiftly overtook Perez and took the lead by Lap 17 of the 44-lap race. From that moment on, Verstappen’s relentless pace was unstoppable, eventually claiming victory with an impressive margin of over 22 seconds. This marked his eighth consecutive win and his tenth victory in the 2023 Formula 1 season.
Following the race, Sergio Perez opened up to Sky F1 about whether victory had ever been within his grasp at Spa-Francorchamps. The Mexican driver admitted that after Verstappen passed him, he made an error and went off track at Turn 11, allowing the gap between them to grow further. Additionally, Perez mentioned that the team had opted for a “too aggressive” car setup, considering the limited dry running during the weekend, which shifted his focus to securing a one-two finish for Red Bull.
“In the second stint, Max pulled away and created a good gap, but then I had an off at Turn 11, and that extended the margin,” Perez explained.
“From that point onwards, my main objective was to ensure that we brought the car home, as we had chosen a slightly aggressive car setup without much practice. Therefore, preserving the car and securing a strong team result became paramount,” he added.
Despite not being able to challenge Verstappen for the win, Perez’s determination to secure valuable points for the team demonstrated his commitment to the greater goal. Red Bull’s performance has been remarkable this season, with Verstappen consistently excelling and Perez proving to be a reliable teammate, contributing significantly to the Constructors’ Championship.
