Sergio Perez recognizes that teaming up with Max Verstappen heightens the expectations placed on him within the team.
In the formidable RB19, the Mexican has encountered challenges in keeping pace with Verstappen, resulting in subpar qualifying outcomes and subsequent race recovery strategies.
During the Belgian Grand Prix, Perez notably seized a lap in the lead, marking his first time since being surpassed by Verstappen during the Miami GP in May.
Initially separated by only 14 points in the Drivers’ Championship in the first four races of the campaign, the gap has now expanded to 125 points at the season’s midpoint.
“It’s very difficult of course to have Max as teammate,” said the Mexican driver when quizzed about his experience with Dutch teammate Verstappen.
“I don’t think we should take anything away from the talent that he is and how hard he works, how he delivers and how focused he is.”
Although Perez holds great admiration for Max Verstappen’s composure during race weekends, he acknowledges that this approach inevitably raises the bar for performance expectations.
“He is just a great driver, but it’s great to have him as a teammate,” he added.
“Because he pushes you to the maximum and it creates a lot of pressure and stress. It’s not easy to cope with that, a guy that is always delivering the 100% out of the car.
“That is something unique to have and something I learned a lot from myself. Yeah, I’ve had a great time.”
Moreover, in response to the question of whether being Verstappen’s teammate is the most challenging position on the grid, Perez stated:”Yeah, I think so. If you are not strong enough mentally, it would be difficult for anyone to cope with that.”
