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Beginning of the end for Ricciardo at McLaren?

Marc Surer believes Sergio Perez is “absolutely” a part of this year’s Drivers’ World Championship battle.

The Mexican is among a trio whose positions at the top of the standings have compressed as a result of his victory in the Monaco Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen, the title-holder and Perez’s Red Bull team-mate, leads the way on 125 points, nine ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

A further six behind is Perez, who also had chances to win in Spain the weekend before his Monte Carlo success but was asked to move aside by the team for Verstappen.

Besides his Monaco triumph, Perez was also rewarded with a new Red Bull contract for two more years, which team advisor Helmut Marko has admitted was signed on the Friday of that race weekend.

Former F1 driver Surer sees Perez being in the fight heading to the next round in Azerbaijan, where the 32-year-old won last year.

But he sees the two retirements Verstappen has endured this season – one more than Perez –