Sergio Pérez offers his team a one-two finish in Belgium

Seen as the only potential rival to Max Verstappen at the beginning of the season, the situation has changed drastically approaching the summer break. While at the start of the season, Perez was expected to win the race thanks to Max Verstappen’s penalty, the world of F1 didn’t hold too many illusions before the start. The victory of the current leader was deemed inevitable as long as the Dutchman is in great form, while the Mexican is slowly recovering from a series of dismal races that have greatly affected his morale.

The second driver of Red Bull was cautious at the start, waiting for the first straight to take the lead of the race from Charles Leclerc, who couldn’t put up much resistance against the straight-line speed of the Red Bull. Opening up a 3-second gap as early as the fourth lap, while his teammate was stuck behind Lewis Hamilton. Sergio Perez then remained stagnant while Max Verstappen dangerously closed in on his teammate.

Getting rid of his soft tires on the 14th lap, Perez’s second stint disqualified him from the fight for victory. Already unlucky to suffer a relatively long pit stop by Red Bull standards, Perez then struggled with the pace set by Max Verstappen. Losing almost 2 seconds in just one lap, Perez surrendered the lead of the race without putting up any resistance. He knew it would be pointless. Then, it was almost 1 second per lap that he lost. Finally, there were 22 seconds separating the two drivers for Christian Horner at the moment they crossed the finish line.

In the second relay, Max opened up an impressive gap. After going off track at turn number 11, the gap just kept growing. From there, the goal was simply to bring the car home.

With 125 points behind his teammate, Sergio Pérez’s objective is definitely no longer the title, but the runner-up position. A consolation prize with a bitter taste considering the ambition displayed by the former Force India driver after his victory in Jeddah.