Sergio Perez makes his feelings clear on Max Verstappen title bid after Red Bull axe

Sergio Perez has issued a verdict on his former Red Bull F1 team-mate's championship battle against the two McLarens.

Max Verstappen is currently trying to hunt down Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in the drivers' championship, with four race weekends remaining.

Perez and Verstappen raced at Red Bull together between 2021-2024, with Verstappen winning four titles in that time, and Mexican racer Perez becoming a six-time grand prix winner.

But since Perez left Red Bull, the team have been lagging behind McLaren, and only some supreme driving from Verstappen has allowed him back into the fight for a record-equalling fifth consecutive drivers' title.

And now Perez, who will rejoin the grid in 2026 with the Cadillac team, has said that Verstappen has been the number one reason for the entertainment during the 2025 season.

"Max has been basically the action of the year, you know, he’s keeping everyone watching Formula 1," Perez told Sky Sports F1.

"Somehow they managed to transform the season, and now, with McLaren messing around, I think he has a real chance of getting it done. And I think he is the driver that deserves the most, this championship, because he’s been driving phenomenally."

Who will win the championship?

Verstappen is currently 36 points behind championship leader Norris with four grands prix and two sprint races remaining in the season.

That's a hefty chunk of points to make up, but Verstappen has achieved podiums in each of the last six grands prix, and has won four of the last seven races when taking into account sprint races.

Verstappen is the only one of the three drivers who has tasted championship success before, and that experience could be crucial as we approach the conclusion of this epic championship battle.

On top of this, Red Bull's form has seemingly been improving in recent weeks, with the RB21 providing more pace for Verstappen and his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.

It's going to take a gargantuan effort from Verstappen, and he needs to start it off with a double victory this weekend in both races of the Brazilian Grand Prix event.

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