Windsor: 'Seven places where Perez should make a difference in Monaco'
F1 News
Red Bull Racing's Sergio Perez has built a reputation as a specialist on street circuits since 2022, with F1 analyst Peter Windsor thinking the Mexican has a good chance of victory in the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix. It will be an even battle between Max Verstappen and Perez if the other teams have not moved closer.
Perez has seven strong moments in Monaco
Verstappen leads the F1 championship with teammate Perez behind him. The two-time F1 champion looks to be the stronger of the two at the upcoming circuits in Europe, but first, the Monaco GP takes place. There, the Mexican could surprise the crowd, thinks F1 expert Windsor. After all, Perez has more often shown to be good on the exit at 90-degree corners and to drive safely on tight circuits where walls are close.
In a live video on YouTube, Windsor answers questions from F1 fans. One fan asks the Briton if Perez has a chance at the Monte Carlo street circuit. Windsor: "Oh yeah. Perez has definitely got, at least... He's got Saint Devote, the exit of Casino Square, the exit of Mirabeau. That's three. Then he's got the exit of Portier, four. He has the exit from the [Nouvelle] Chicane, five. Then the exit from Rascasse, six, and he has that last corner onto the pit straight [Antony Noghes]."
So, according to Windsor, there are seven spots on the track that Perez can use to his advantage over Verstappen. Windsor: "So he has got seven corners [...] There's only about four corners he hasn't got. He will be good in all those corners, be as good as Max on the exit. He'll be as good in terms of tyre management."
Balanced battle with Verstappen?
If the F1 analyst is to be believed, it will be exciting between the two Red Bull drivers. If Verstappen and Perez are indeed so evenly matched in Monaco, it could be a nice fight for victory. Windsor: "It doesn't really matter what you do going into those corners really, if you're that good mid-corner. I suppose at the top of the hill, Casino square, that's where Max will be phenomenal. There he will be stronger, but Perez will make up for that [...] That downhill bit out of Casino he [Perez] will be really good again."
Besides Casino, Windsor also expects Verstappen to be particularly strong at the braking of the chicane after coming out of the tunnel. "I wouldn't say necessarily he'll brake later than Perez," Windsor continued. "He will, however, be really good at getting the car stopped at exactly the right rate." Windsor concludes by naming Tabac and the pool area as pluses for Verstappen. Monaco, according to Windsor's argument, will be a battle between Verstappen's braking before corners and Perez's acceleration out of them.