Former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher does not expect Sergio Pérez to be Max Verstappen’s main challenger in the Austrian Grand Prix. The Mexican has already missed the podium three races in a row, and Schumacher therefore expects Verstappen to take more account of Aston Martin and Mercedes than his own teammate.
Verstappen has already taken 31 victories since the start of the 2021 season, and is therefore well on his way to the top positions in the various lists. Verstappen has now taken his 41st career victory in Canada, equaling Ayrton Senna. Max controlled the race, even though it was not the ideal circuit for Red Bull,” Schumacher looks back on the last Grand Prix weekend in his column at the German branch of Sky Sports F1.
The six-time Grand Prix winner does not see Verstappen taking a shot at Lewis Hamilton’s record for the time being. “There’s a long way to go before he comes close to Hamilton’s 103 wins, so it remains to be seen how much of that dominance will continue. You could already see in Montreal that the field has come closer together and that it is getting a bit more exciting. Aston Martin and Mercedes have closed the gap and Red Bull will suffer a bit from having less wind tunnel time at its disposal because of last year’s penalty,” the 47-year-old German expects.
Competition from Alonso in Austria
“I was impressed with owner Lawrence Stroll’s team,” continues Schumacher, who will therefore mainly aim for Fernando Alonso’s second place, and not so much for Lance Stroll’s ninth place. “They brought an upgrade that worked right away. I’m sure we can expect a lot more from the green cars. As I see it, Aston Martin is slightly ahead of Mercedes after this upgrade, and I expect Alonso to be the strongest competitor for Verstappen in the next race at the Red Bull Ring.
