Fittipaldi expects 'friction' at Red Bull because of very strong Perez

Emerson Fittipaldi has high hopes for Sergio Perez. The two-time world champion believes it is not impossible that Max Verstappen will face serious competition from the Mexican driver in the battle for the world title.

Perez gets stronger

"In my opinion, Checo Perez, he is growing, he's getting more self-confidence. he's getting stronger and stronger on every Grand Prix. If his mindset this weekend is fixed to win, he has the talent, he has the speed to win."," said Fittipaldi in conversation with VegasInsider.com. The former Formula One driver believes he can make things even more difficult for Verstappen from now on. "I have this feeling because he's extremely self-confident now. He knows he has the talent, the speed and he's not anymore a shadow to Max. He's reality. He's there. He's a contender, he's strong."

The Brazilian's words are striking in a way, because while Perez seemed to be performing at the top of his game in the Spain-Monaco-Azerbaijan triptych, things have seemingly slowed down in recent weeks. Even his first two free practice sessions in France were not among his best this season. Perez himself also complains that he feels less comfortable in the RB18 compared to earlier in 2022.

Fittipaldi's view is slightly different and sees Red Bull reaping the benefits of having two top-level drivers. "I think for the Red Bull team it is good to have two drivers at this level. In my opinion, Helmut Marko never expected Sergio to come to this high level of driving and performance. I think it could be very interesting, from now to the end of the year, the competition inside the Red Bull team."

Gap in World Championship

While Max Verstappen currently leads the world championship with 208 points, Perez is third with 151 points. The difference is therefore already huge, but Marko believes Verstappen is not yet the absolute number one driver in the Milton Keynes team. Fittipaldi also believes Perez can still turn the tide.

"This is my belief and this is my opinion that Checo Perez will be running strong. Very strong and I think this is going to create some friction because of his performance. Not that Max is slowing down. Max is an extremely talented driver. He's the world champion. He's leading the championship. But Checo is there. He's there and he's strong," he concluded.