Windsor explains why Perez benefits at Imola: 'He excels at it!'

This weekend there is virtually no difference between Mercedes and Red Bull Racing, which was evident in the qualifying results. According to Peter Windsor, on Saturday the qualities of the drivers came out well.

Where Mercedes had a big lead on Red Bull Racing last year at Imola, that difference has now disappeared like snow in the sun. Max Verstappen's team might even be a bit faster on the Italian circuit.

It was however Lewis Hamilton who prevailed during qualifying. "He looked calm. With all the stuff going on around him, with how close it was at Imola, he looked absolutely superb in the Mercedes. In every dimension of his driving. Mercedes would acknowledge they are not the quickest car right now, but Lewis maximised every department and did the job just perfectly," he told Peter Windsor on his YouTube channel afterwards.

On Saturday morning Max Verstappen set the fastest lap, but he couldn't repeat it in the afternoon. In fact, the Dutchman had to settle for P3. "I found it quite amusing to see that Max did a test start from pole position in FP3, despite not having driven many laps on Friday and also this morning. And after qualifying, he said it was a messy lap. It was."

According to Windsor, the difference between the different drivers comes out well at Imola. "Perez knows exactly how much he can put pressure on the car, that's pretty much his calling card. That's not one of Max Verstappen's qualities that stands out, he's more of the overall control of the car."

"He goes into the corners with more speed and relies on his reflexes and balance to get his car through. This is the first time we can really see how Max drives. On the Imola circuit you just don't get rewarded for that, it's about how you exit corners and that's where Perez excels," Windsor concluded. The Mexican is in a perfect position to make life difficult for Hamilton tomorrow.