Prost critical of Perez and entourage: 'Pointless and counterproductive'

Sergio Perez expressed on several occasions this season that he is aiming for the world title this year and wants to beat teammate Max Verstappen. Especially after his second win of the season in Azerbaijan, everyone knew what the Mexican's ambitions are for 2023. But Alain Prost doubts whether that approach is the most convenient for the 33-year-old veteran.

According to the four-time world champion, the most important thing for Perez is for Red Bull to take his side more, rather than Verstappen's. For the time being, however, that does not seem likely to happen, as witnessed also by the Dutchman's 53-point lead in the world championship. Along with this, Helmut Marko and Christian Horner have always anticipated, even when it was 2-2 in wins this season, that Verstappen will most likely always be faster over a full year.

Therefore, according to Prost, the crux lies mainly in showing more on the track rather than talking more and trying to wage war verbally. "He has to make Max doubt and change Red Bull's mind about his position within the team," he said. "Perez has an almost impossible mission. We all know that. And in order to achieve that [beating Verstappen], he should especially not shout so loudly that he wants to beat Max."

Father Perez also plays a role

What also does not help in Prost's view is that Perez's father has been in the media more than once this season with very complimentary words about his son. For instance, Verstappen is said to be only a few thousandths faster than Checo, and he compared the World Championship fight between the two Red Bull drivers to the rivalry between Ayrton Senna and Prost. With better material, Perez had also become world champion several times over the past decade in the pinnacle of motorsport, said Perez Sr.

Prost: "His entourage is not helping him either. I read a month ago that his father had told journalists that the fight with Max is similar to the fight I had with Ayrton (Senna), then that is pointless and only counterproductive," the 68-year-old Frenchman said in his column for the newspaper L'Equipe.