
How Perez shaded Verstappen in Monaco and earned new F1 contract
OPINION: One week on from getting a ruthless Red Bull team orders call at Barcelona, Sergio Perez delivered the team’s sixth Monaco Grand Prix victory and earned a two-year contract extension. This success backs up discernible improvements the team has noticed in driver who is now his country’s most successful Formula 1 racer.
"It’s a massive day for myself, for my country."
What a difference a week made for Sergio Perez. From a team orders row in Spain and questions about his chances of ever getting a fair crack at what is, understandably, perceived to be Max Verstappen’s Red Bull squad, to the top step of the podium at the Monaco Grand Prix and with a fresh contract extension. In the process, he became Mexico’s most successful Formula 1 driver – now leads Pedro Rodriguez with three world championship F1 race victories to two.
There was a certain ambivalence towards what Red Bull did to Perez at Barcelona. Although it risked wrecking his morale by twice denying him in favour of Verstappen and forcing him to move aside for the Dutchman after the world champion’s error in the wind, Red Bull’s choices had a cold, hard logic.

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