On any team, a dominance like that of Max Verstappen would incapacitate everyone on the other side of the workshop. In all but Red Bull, where the Dutchman and Checo Pérez did almost well at the start of the sprint race in Austria, a 24-lap race that intermittent rain turned into a return trip for the rear of the peloton. With and without water, the normal man, Verstappen, won ahead of Pérez and Carlos Sainz. For his part, Fernando Alonso was fifth after accompanying Lance Stroll (fourth), his teammate in the Aston Martin and son of Lawrence, owner of the green car structure, for several laps.
Pérez is under pressure and that was evident at Spielberg this Saturday as the Mexican was ruled out again from the third qualifying round (Q3) while his neighbor secured pole position. The Jalisco rider felt the sprint appointment could be the perfect tablao to show off and regain some confidence but in the end things didn’t go as expected as on the other side of the pulse was Verstappen, a real competition animal, that takes no prisoners and leaves not even a crumb. Both placed in the front row, the two Red Bull drivers elbowed each other at the start and quickly caused a stir.
The reigning champion started a little slower than his rival, who secured position in the first few meters and was ahead on the exit of the first corner. On the semi-straight line leading towards the Estiria facility hill, the winner of the last two courses interpreted that his opponent had sent him onto the grass, causing him to short-circuit to the point of attacking him in the next lap, the third. Upon reaching it, Verstappen pounced on the Guadalajara runner, who had no choice but to veer towards Vienna to avoid falling. “It got me out. What the heck!” Mad Max posted on the radio. “What’s wrong with Max?” complained Pérez, who in the scuffle even lost second place, which ended up, albeit temporarily, in the hands of Nico Hulkenberg. The 21 seconds the winner took from their partner is currently the most obvious indication of the difference between the two. “Everything went well, except for the start, where we were able to cause quite a stir. “We’ll have to talk about it later,” Verstappen replied, still on the radio, shortly after being congratulated on the win. As soon as they got out of the car, the couple from Milton Keynes (UK) arranged things before speaking to journalists. “I think Max got angry after I threw him a bit in turn two. But I already told you I haven’t seen him. When I realized it, I gave him back the position in turn three,” Pérez justified.
Despite driving the same car, Verstappen, by far the best driver on the entire grid, has a 70-point cushion, nearly three grands prix, ahead of Pérez, who is living through one of his worst moments since wearing the racing suit. The Red Buffalo Team. The two wins that Checo adds in this 2023 are tiny when compared to the six wins the Hasselt boy is amassing. As if the contrast wasn’t enough, rumors of the possibility that the Central American seat is in jeopardy mount by the day. Daniel Ricciardo’s shadow is very long and his presence at the tire test, which will take place shortly after next week’s British Grand Prix, adds to the uncertainty that may exist.
Especially after Helmut Marko, one of the most influential sports advisors in the energy giant’s F1 division, suggested the test could be used to assess possible Pérez successors. “Czech has the seat. We all support you. “Anyone who suggests a possible replacement is absolutely wrong,” Christian Horner, director of Red Bull, defends him. “The biggest pressure he has is the one he puts on himself. Here [en Austria] He has shown that he has rhythm. In the first free test he was ahead, a tenth behind Max. That’s what frustrates him,” adds the CEO, one of the main proponents of his creation. “Our frustration, on the other hand, is that we are closer to the Ferrari and only have one car.” [el de Verstappen]because the other is not on the position,” concludes the ex-pilot, referring to the opening of this Sunday (3:00 p.m., Dazn), in which Pérez will start 15th, a universe behind the positions that a priori around the will play win.
You can follow EL PAÍS Deportes on Facebook and Twitteror sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter.