Is Sergio Perez’s victory really beneficial for Red Bull?

Sergio Perez won a spectacular Monaco Grand Prix and therefore takes home the 25 points for victory, while his teammate Max Verstappen only earns 12 points in the drivers’ championship, allowing the Mexican to close in on him in the standings with just a 15-point gap. Assuming Red Bull had let Perez win the Spanish Grand Prix, the gap would only be one point, but team orders prevented this scenario.

Regarding Sergio Perez, Cristian Horner spoke to Sky Sports F1 and said, “He is doing a great job. Look at his performances so far. A superb pole position in Jeddah. The speed difference between him and Max is much smaller this year, and he has won his third race in his career, and what a better place than here. He is in the championship as much as Max. The difference between the two is only 15 points, which is nothing, so there is a long way to go in the championship.”

Will Red Bull let Verstappen and Perez fight for the championship?

Max Verstappen is the current reigning world champion with his team. He has a very long contract with a hefty salary. He often outperforms his teammate in qualifying and during races, but this trend is starting to become questionable. It is the second time this season that Verstappen has been beaten in qualifying, and it is the first time he has finished behind Perez. Meanwhile, the Mexican driver’s contract is coming to an end, and Red Bull has not yet started negotiations to extend his contract.

Given the situation and Perez’s progression, it wouldn’t be surprising to see both Red Bull drivers fighting for positions in the future. We must observe the qualifying pace of each before drawing conclusions. What is certain is that Sergio Perez’s rise is not a good sign for Ferrari and Charles Leclerc, who will probably have to battle against two drivers in the championship.