31 March 2023 , 12:19
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Johnny Herbert hailed "the strongest Sergio Perez I think I've seen" for taking on Max Verstappen head-on at the start of this new Formula 1 season.
It is clear that Red Bull are in a league of their own when it comes to car performance, having finished first and second in both races so far. That means the only likely rival that the two drivers will have for the title this year is each other.
That is likely to breed some tension within a relationship which already looks frayed. Verstappen's refusal of team orders in Brazil last year highlighted the division between them and, no matter how much the team tries to play it down, the scars remain there for all to see.
Herbert and Billy Monger are both pleased to see the Mexican standing up for himself against the double champion. The pair, who launched their podcast Lift the Lid earlier this month, told Mirror Sport they hope Perez can mount a serious challenge to keep the title race interesting this year.
"There are always a few whispers creeping in and a few radio messages that get transmitted that make you think maybe things aren't 100%," said Monger of the relationship between the two Red Bull drivers.
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"But that's expected – I think it would be weird if we didn't have that considering they've got a car that looks like one of them is going to be world champion. I'd be disappointed if it was all plain sailing with them just finishing first and second and no-one wanting to beat the other."
Perez won the Saudi GP with Verstappen in second place (Getty Images)And Herbert had plenty of praise for Perez as he declared him capable of beating Verstappen. The former Sky Sports pundit said: "It's nice to see his Latin temperament come to the fore. He's been a very trustworthy and loyal number two but now he's being a bit more outspoken in the cockpit – good on him for doing that.
"He's done a grand job so far and if he can continue that run then Max's feathers are going to get ruffled a little bit. He's going to be a tough nut to crack, that's for sure, but we're only human and there's only a certain amount of pressure – either from your team-mate or the outside world, the media – that pushes you over the edge.
"That's when silly mistakes come into play and Sergio will be there chuckling away in the cockpit. Potentially, we've got a Nico-Lewis battle that we saw in the past. Sergio still has to prove that he can do a whole season pushing his team-mate, but I don't see any reason why not.
"This is the strongest Sergio I think I've seen. This is an opportunity for him to potentially win that world championship he's been after. He's up against the toughest team-mate, but he is beatable – Max is beatable. Everyone is beatable if all the stars align. He might need that a little bit more than Max but that's part of sport."
Listen to Billy and Johnny on Lift The Lid on Apple Podcasts.