Formula One fans around the world are sitting patiently, knowing that Team Red Bull is set to dominate this year’s championship as well. At least in 2021, Mercedes was able to challenge their long-time rivals at the front of the grid. However, since the FIA introduced the new technical directives in 2022, the Austrian team has been leading the F1 championship. As a result, Max Verstappen won his second consecutive title last year after winning fifteen out of the twenty-one races.
This year also, fans saw a similar pattern of Team Red Bull’s sheer hegemony. But this time, Max Verstappen faced some brutal competition from none other than his own teammate Sergio Perez. Of the five races this year, Red Bull won all of them. But Verstappen won three of them, while Checo won the remaining two. That is why the Dutchman is leading the driver’s championship by fourteen points, as the Mexican is trailing him well. But this rat and mouse chase has built a clear sense of strain between the two drivers.
Max Verstappen Doubtful Of Securing Another Win Of The Season At Monaco GP
In recent times, Sergio Perez has been triumphing at all the street tracks of the Formula One calendar like a pro. This year itself, Checo secured a record for having multiple wins at Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Baku, which is a street-style circuit. And he won last year’s Monaco GP as well. Apparently, that is one of the reasons why his counterpart, Max Verstappen, is afraid for the upcoming race weekend in Monaco. The reigning champion feels the upcoming race will be “the most difficult to win.”
This is because the result of the Monaco GP is determined at the qualifying itself. Being a street-style track does not provide the drivers enough space to overtake the one leading. Hence, if you lead the track from the start, chances are that you’ll win the race if you don’t damage or ruin the car. Max Verstappen also believes that “It needs to be like a severe disaster up front to overtake, like last year. This doesn’t happen every year, especially with the weather involved.”
Verstappen Seeing Perez & Leclerc As Major Threat
Apparently, fans are aware of Red Bull’s RB19’s potential. The car is capable of overtaking any other car leading them. However, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has succeeded in keeping the Austrian cars behind him, at least in the qualifyings. He also interrupted their run for the pole position this year at Baku with his stunning lap time. That is why Max Verstappen believes the Ferrari driver will pose a big threat to him again over the weekend. “Charles, or Ferrari in general [should be quick]. Carlos is also handy around here,” as per the Dutchman. He also considered Fernando Alonso to give him a tough time with the surprise front-runner Astron Martin.