Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Rivalry in Red Bull's F1 team?

After 11 years in Formula One racing for five different teams, it would be tempting to think a 32-year-old Sergio Perez deserved the chance to fight for a title.

In Azerbaijan though, the Mexican remained the bridesmaid and not the bride.

Max Verstappen won the race, his first ever win in Azerbaijan, leaving his Mexican teammate to make do with second. It was the third time this season, that Perez finished a race second behind Verstappen. For Red Bull it was a dream weekend, especially as both Ferrari drivers did not finish following engine problems.

After Perez’s win in Monaco last time out, the Mexican said he believed he had a chance to fight for the title. Asked before the race in Azerbaijan whether his newly-signed contract prevented him from challenging Verstappen, the Mexican said it hadn't been a topic.

"It was signed on Friday before Monaco and we didn't discuss [receiving equal treatment to Verstappen]. There is nothing in my contract that says I need to finish second, or something like that, it was not a topic in the contract at all."

Great teammate

Last season, Perez’s efforts across the year were praised —  most notably in the final race in Abu Dhabi when the Mexican brilliantly slowed Lewis Hamilton and played a huge role in Verstappen winning the title. Back then, Perez was the clear number two and despite Perez’s win in Monaco and his buoyant words, that role appears to have continued into the current season.

Despite slipping past Charles Leclerc, the man on pole, in the first corner of the race in Baku, Perez didn’t fight hard when Verstappen, in one of the DRS zones, drifted past on lap 15 (of 51). Over the radio came the words: "No fighting."

Afterwards, Perez said it was the right call for the team. "Max was ahead and was faster on that medium stint. Today was a great result for the team."

But two laps after Verstappen had taken the lead, Perez endured Red Bull’s worst pit stop of the season, and only just came out ahead of Mercedes' George Russell. When a virtual safety car offered another chance for a stop on lap 34, Perez suffered the slower stop of the two Red Bull drivers once again.

But on the following two laps, Perez was lapping faster than Verstappen. On lap 37, he set (and held) the fastest lap. With Verstappen 15 seconds ahead, it was never going to change the result but it was a reminder that Perez, who won here last season, is capable of being number one in this car.

It certainly isn’t the first time this has happened in the sport. Formula One has a long list of famous team battles, such as Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in 1990, or Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in 2016.

Perez and Verstappen are a long way from fighting each other. After the race, the pair chatted amicably about race details.

But one look at the drivers' standings and the name after Verstappen's name is Perez. The competition is there. The only question is how Red Bull handle it the reast of this season.