It feels like ages ago since Perez lived up to his once-valid 'street race king' moniker and won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, cutting team-mate Max Verstappen's lead to just six points as he vowed to take the 2023 title fight all the way.
His pole in the subsequent Miami Grand Prix, with Verstappen down in ninth on the grid, was a chance to underline those credentials, but as the Dutchman scythed through the field to demote Perez he struck a psychological hammer blow.
