F1 News
Perez tipped: 'Take a leaf out of Rosberg in 2016'
- GPblog.com
Sergio Perez looks more matched to his teammate Max Verstappen this year than his two previous years at Red Bull Racing. According to Anthony Davidson, Perez needs to make an example of Rosberg in 2016 to beat Verstappen for the world title this year.
After Perez was clearly slower than Verstappen in 2021 and 2022, this year is different. This year, the two Red Bull drivers are equal when it comes to wins. Only because of Perez's lesser weekend in Australia does Verstappen lead the championship.
Perez has to watch Rosberg
Nico Rosberg also could not beat his teammate Lewis Hamilton in 2014 and 2015 at Mercedes. In 2016, Rosberg had a different plan and subsequently became world champion that year as well. Davidson thinks Perez should take an example from this.
"I think now it’s time for Sergio to stop being Mr Nice Guy. He is gonna take a leaf out of Rosberg 2016, and maybe, as much it might hurt, to be the guy he doesn’t really want to be, he’s got to make sacrifices and decisions this season," Davidson said in the Sky Sports podcast.
'Perhaps his only chance'
The F1 analyst thinks the might be Perez's only chance of the world title. "He has got to get under Max Verstappen’s skin, he has got to annoy him, he has got to get everything. This is his moment. It might only be his one chance. I think he knows it, we all know it as well. He is so close, six points behind after four races, and he is looking good. I don’t think he’ll be able to do it if he plays Mr Nice Guy."