12 January 2024 , 16:29
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A long-serving Red Bull chief has claimed no team-mate will ever be anything but a sidekick to Max Verstappen.
Verstappen has an excellent record when it comes to going up against other drivers within the same team. Only twice has he been beaten over the course of a season, when Daniel Ricciardo out-scored him in 2016 and 2017 - though the Aussie was the vastly more experienced driver at the time.
The Dutchman has blossomed in recent years and, since finding his best form, has been untouchable to his team-mates. Both Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon floundered under the pressure of the seat during their respective brief stints with Red Bull.
Sergio Perez has lasted longer, heading into his fourth season as Verstappen's partner. But only once has he even finished within 200 points of his team-mate - comprehensively beaten three time in a row.
Few have spent more time watching Verstappen closely than Franz Tost. The long-serving team principal at Red Bull's sister team was the Dutchman's first boss in F1 and the pair maintained a strong bond for years.
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As long as Red Bull continue to operate at the sharp end of the grid, the Austrian has no doubt triple champion Verstappen will go on to add a lot more silverware to his collection. Asked by F1 Insider if anyone can hold a candle to the 26-year-old, Tost simply replied: "No."
He elaborated: "If Max continues to have a good car, he will win many more races and titles. He's still not at his limit and will get even better. No driver who is or will be his team-mate will ever progress beyond the role of number two driver.
That last sentence is perhaps a warning to which Perez should take heed. After all, just this time last year he had designs on getting the better of Verstappen in the world championship - and started the 2023 season well, too.
But after winning two of the first four races, he never tasted victory again. Verstappen won the Miami Grand Prix from ninth on the grid with ease, despite his team-mate taking pole position. That was the moment that broke the Mexican's spirit and started a wretched run of qualifying form which spelled the end of his brief title challenge.
Perez has entered the final 12 months of his Red Bull contract and is fighting for his Red Bull future. Team principal Christian Horner has said the 33-year-old's future is in his own hands, but has also made it clear he will be considering all the driver options available to him before choosing who partners Verstappen from 2025.