With his second place at the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Sergio Pérez has moved back up to second place in the World Championship. What the Mexican says regarding world champion Max Verstappen.
Sergio Pérez’s aggressiveness was one of the steps for Max Verstappen on the way to the Dutchman’s second world title. In the final phase of the turbulent Japanese GP, Pérez attacked Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who had to spread himself so wide that the FIA regulators recognized a foul – five-second penalty for the Monegasque, Pérez second behind winner Max Verstappen, and since full points were awarded in Suzuka, Max was world champion once more.
With his 24th Formula 1 podium (like Stirling Moss, John Surtees and Alan Jones), GP veteran Pérez has once more taken second place in the drivers’ championship, one point ahead of Leclerc.
The 32-year-old from Guadalajara has finished in the top six for the 15th time this season and has given Red Bull Racing their 22nd one-two in the premier class, fifth in 2022 (following Imola, Barcelona, Baku and Spa-Francorchamps) .
After the Suzuka race, the RBR drivers fell into each other’s arms and “Checo” Pérez says: “I’m so proud of this guy, this is another Max Verstappen. He’s driving at a higher level than the year before.”
“I was able to keep up at the beginning of the season, but then it was like Max had found a higher gear. Some of his races are flat out unbelievable.”
“It’s a day we all at Red Bull Racing won’t soon forget – a one-two at Honda’s home race of all places, that’s awesome.”
Japan-GP, Suzuka
01. Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing, 3:01:44,004 h
02. Sergio Perez (MEX), Red Bull Racing, +27.066sec
03. Charles Leclerc (MC), Ferrari, +31,763
04. Esteban Ocon (F), Alpine, +39,685
05. Lewis Hamilton (GB), Mercedes, +40,326
06. Sebastian Vettel (D), Aston Martin, +46,358
07. Fernando Alonso (L), Alpine, +46,369
08. George Russell (GB), Mercedes, +47,661
09. Nicholas Latifi (CDN), Williams, +70,143
10. Lando Norris (GB), McLaren, +70.782
11. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS), McLaren, +72,877
12. Lance Stroll (CDN), Aston Martin, +73,904
13. Yuki Tsunoda (J), AlphaTauri, +75,599
14. Kevin Magnussen (DK), Haas, +86.016
15. Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Alfa Romeo, +86,496
16. Guanyu Zhou (RC), Alfa Romeo, +87,043
17. Mick Schumacher (D), Haas, +92,523
18. Pierre Gasly (F), AlphaTauri, +108,091
Out
Alex Albon (T), Williams, Hydraulikdefekt
Carlos Sainz (E), Ferrari, accident
Championship status (following 18 of 22 races)
driver
01. Verstappen 366 points
02. Pérez 253
03. Leclerc 252
04. Russell 207
05. Sainz 202
06. Hamilton 180
07. Norris 101
08. Ocon 78
09. Alonso 65
10. Bottas 46
11. Vettel 32
12. Ricciardo 29
13. Gasly 23
14. Magnussen 22
15. Stroll 13
16. Schumacher 12
17. Tsunoda 11
18. Zhou 6
19. Albon 4
20. Latif 2
21. DeVries 2
22. Nico Hülkenberg (D) 0
Constructors’ Cup
01. Red Bull Racing 619 Punkte
02. Ferrari 454
03. Mercedes 387
04. Alpine 143
05. McLaren 130
06. Alfa Romeo 52
07. Aston Martin 45
08. Haas 34
09. AlphaTauri 34
10. Williams 8
