Former Red Bull driver believes Max Verstappen has ‘broken’ his 33-year-old Formula 1 rival.

The May race was anticipated as the opportunity for Sergio Perez to assert himself as the primary title contender against Max Verstappen. Despite both drivers winning two of the initial four Grand Prix, Perez, aged 33, found himself six points behind his Red Bull teammate upon arriving in Miami, with Verstappen holding a slender advantage after Perez’s fifth-place finish in Australia. The race was crucial for Perez to challenge Verstappen’s dominance, but the Mexican driver was unable to prevent Verstappen from securing victory, impacting his standing in the title race.

Christian Klien believes that Max Verstappen dealt a significant blow to Sergio Perez in their battle for the 2023 Formula 1 title, suggesting that Verstappen ‘broke’ his 33-year-old rival. The pivotal moment occurred during the Miami Grand Prix, where Verstappen emerged victorious, leaving Perez struggling to mount a response in their championship duel. Despite Perez’s strong start to the season, including a Sprint win at the Azerbaijan GP, the race in Miami marked a turning point as Verstappen maintained his edge in the title race.

“It feels like pressure is not getting into [Verstappen’s] head at al. That was the difference to Checo. He had a very good start to the season and maybe he had in his mind, ‘Ok, maybe this year I can beat Max or at least [be] on the same level’.

“But I think Miami was already the turning point where he realised, ‘Ok the guy on the other side of the garage is really unbeatable’. I think, mentally, that broke him a little bit.

“It took him a really, really long time, maybe until the last couple of races where he got back [to his best]. He’s not a bad driver and you cannot unlearn how to drive a car fast. But in the end, it’s a mental game.”