Webber: ‘Verstappen still beats Perez over a season’

Ex-Red Bull driver Mark Webber has said Max Verstappen will still beat Sergio Perez over the course of the season despite the Mexican’s surge in form.

In all but one of the final six races, Perez has finished no lower than second. With that form, he has overtaken Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the driver’s standings but still remains behind his team-mate Verstappen.

After the Mexican’s win in Monaco, Red Bull boss Christian Horner went as far as suggesting the team does not have a number one driver and that whoever was leading would be given priority, something that has not been true in recent years.

Hamilton in agony but Mercedes pick up pieces

Torquing Point: Red Bull dominate and Ferrari implode in Baku

Torquing Point: Exclusive look at F1 Manager 2022 and a chat with Haas

Red Bull maximise Ferrari misfortune with 1-2

Ferrari woes continue with double DNF

The friendship between Perez and Verstappen remains strong but if Ferrari’s struggles continue, it seems increasingly likely that Perez may pose the biggest threat to the Dutchman retaining his world title.

One man who knows about battling his Red Bull team-mate is Webber who played a similar role as Perez to Sebastian Vettel during his Championship-winning runs.

The Australian has dismissed Perez’s title credentials though and said that over the course of a season, he backed Verstappen to get the better of his team-mate.

“Of course he [Perez] is driving brilliantly since these new regulations came out, he’s been genuinely quick, threatening Max in most conditions,” Webber told Channel 4.

“I still think that there are circuits where Max will overall have enough firepower to get on top of him.”

It is a dream scenario for Red Bull though and one they have not had since