It’s coming to something when, just four races into a Formula 1 season, the main narrative is along the lines of, ‘well, at least the number two driver at the top team is doing better than usual’.
Bearing in mind the characteristics of the Suzuka circuit play beautifully to the strengths of the Red Bull, few expected anything other than another tour de force from Max Verstappen. Only the event’s switch to spring – and the likely colder weather exacerbating one of Red Bull’s few weaknesses, in the form of tyre warm-up – offered any hope to the rest.
The thing is, this time Perez genuinely did step up to the plate. As Alex Kalinauckas explains in our in-depth report, the Mexican kept Verstappen on his toes at Suzuka. And he was fast enough last weekend to nullify the strategy games of the Ferraris and McLarens, which on many other weekends over recent times would have led to someone else finishing second.
He’s also very much in the picture at Red Bull for 2025, as we explain by looking at the driver market at the start of our Pit + Paddock section.
Elsewhere in this issue, we enjoy British motorsport national treasure Derek Warwick looking back with Kevin Turner at the best 10 races of his career – stand by for everything from F1 to short ovals via Le Mans…
Tom Ingram chats enthusiastically about his hopes of reclaiming the British Touring Car champion’s crown, and Marcus Pye looks ahead on what will no doubt be another fabulous weekend at the Goodwood Members’ Meeting and selects 10 things to look out for.
Multiple Daytona 24 Hours winner Wayne Taylor’s plan to race an F1 Wolf at Monaco leads our National section, which also includes a look at the Vintage Sports-Car Club as it celebrates 90th birthday and Stephen Lickorish talking to F1 Academy points leader Abbi Pulling.
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