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Could Sergio Pérez benefit from this week’s cancellation?
Could the cancellation of the 2023 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix play a role in deciding the Drivers’ Championship?
The main story of the 2023 Formula 1 season has been the dominance of Red Bull. Either Max Verstappen or Sergio Pérez has won every single Grand Prix this season, pushing the Bulls to the top of the Constructors’ standings in convincing fashion. With the rest of the field trying desperately to find the right set of upgrades to challenge the RB19, Red Bull is sitting pretty.
Regarding the Drivers’ standings, the Red Bull duo stands out there as well. Verstappen sits atop the table, just 14 points clear of his teammate.
However, the cancellation of this week’s race scheduled for Imola could play a role in deciding the battle between the Red Bull drivers. Verstappen was seeking his third-straight win in the Emilia Romagna GP, having won in 2021 and 2022. While Pérez joined him on the podium a year ago, placing second ahead of Lando Norris, Pérez finished in P11 back in the 2021 Emilia Romagna GP, and out of the points.
So Imola was expected to be a track that favored Verstappen in his pursuit of a third-straight Drivers’ Championship. Instead, the grid now heads to the streets of Monaco, and a circuit that likely favors Pérez.
After all, Pérez secured victory in last year’s Monaco Grand Prix, and all five of his wins since joining Red Bull have come on street circuits. That has led to his nickname “King of the Streets,” which Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner paid tribute to after his win in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
“Checo is definitely living up to his nickname of King of the Streets, or whatever his latest docuseries is going to be called,” Horner said following Pérez’s victory in Baku. “An incredible weekend by him, obviously winning the sprint race yesterday. He got a little bit lucky with the timing of the safety car, but having got the lead, he built close to a four-second lead at one point and controlled the race. He used his opportunity and converted it into a great win.”
With Imola now off the calendar — a track that likely favored Verstappen — and the grid heading to Monaco next week, can we consider this Advantage Pérez?
While the biggest challenge for Pérez is the simple fact that Verstappen is incredibly good at what he does, the calendar also is something to consider. In terms of turning this into a true title fight between himself and Verstappen, Pérez will face an upcoming stretch on the scheduled where more race circuits, and fewer street circuits, are featured.
That could mean Advantage Verstappen during the summer months.
But removing a track from the schedule that seemed likely to favor Verstappen cannot hurt Pérez’s chances, and if Pérez manages to hold his own during that upcoming stretch calendar, the decision made this week could have a lasting impact on a title fight between the Bulls.
