Journalist Peter Windsor has expressed frustration during a discussion about Sergio Pérez’s capabilities relative to Max Verstappen. In a recent online interaction, Windsor was unequivocal in his assessment of the two drivers.
The debate arose when a fan attempted to argue that Pérez possesses a comparable level of raw speed to Verstappen. Windsor quickly dismissed this notion, highlighting a clear and consistent performance differential between them.
‘He is not as fast as Verstappen. It’s as simple as that. The data has shown it time and time again.’
While Pérez and Verstappen are no longer teammates in the 2026 season, statistical analysis continues to support Windsor’s view. Verstappen currently competes for Red Bull Racing, while Pérez has moved to the new Cadillac F1 team.
At Red Bull, Verstappen has established significant dominance over his new teammate, Isack Hadjar. The head-to-head qualifying record for the season stands at 8-3 in favour of Verstappen.
Furthermore, the average qualifying gap between the two Red Bull drivers is a substantial 0.232 seconds. This highlights the performance advantage Verstappen maintains within his own team.
Meanwhile, at the Cadillac team, Sergio Pérez is engaged in a different intra-team battle with Valtteri Bottas. Pérez currently leads his teammate 6-5 in their qualifying head-to-head sessions this season.
Windsor’s argument is that Verstappen operates at a level few can reach. He believes the data, both historical and current, consistently demonstrates a talent gap that is not easily overcome by other drivers on the grid.
