Sergio Perez: Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen has been 'outstanding'

Perez's journey in the fastest car on the grid has been far from straightforward. The Mexican driver kicked off the year impressively, clinching victories in two of the first four races and positioning himself as a genuine challenger to Max Verstappen.

Despite a formidable challenge from a resurgent Fernando Alonso, hinting at a potential title battle, Verstappen responded with remarkable resilience. 

His triumph in Miami marked the beginning of a spectacular 10-race winning streak, culminating at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Even if Perez had secured second place in each of those races, the 2023 title challenge would have been virtually out of reach. Unfortunately, Perez faced a dip in form, missing out on podium finishes in Monaco, Spain, and Canada consecutively.

The Mexican driver's struggles extended to qualifying sessions, forcing him into a perpetual catch-up mode on race days. 

While Perez's form showed signs of improvement towards the campaign's end, his focus shifted to fending off Lewis Hamilton rather than challenging his dominant teammate, Verstappen.

"We came back towards the end of the year. I think the last few races have been a lot stronger for us," Perez told Sky Sports F1.

"And yeah, we have also got to give credit to Max [Verstappen], he's done the best season in the history [of Formula 1] and he's been outstanding. So yeah, great also for Max."

READ MORE: F1 chief Mohammed Ben Sulayem defends sexist remarks amidst controversy and allegations