Four-time World Champion Alain Prost has told Sergio Perez that he needs to “make Max Verstappen doubt him”, should he want to defeat the Dutchman to this season’s title.
Whilst Perez is facing an “almost impossible mission”, he only has himself to blame somewhat for his 53-point deficit to the reigning World Champion.
Perez heads to the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend unable to make another error, given that Verstappen could put the title out of reach as soon as Sunday.
The 33-year-old has failed to claim a rostrum since the Miami Grand Prix, where Verstappen recovered from ninth on the grid to claim victory.
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The reigning World Champion is in mesmeric form currently, with him having claimed three wins in a row.
Perez on the other hand, has finished second, 16th, and fourth in the last three races.
It certainly isn’t the form of a potential champion, nor a driver who claimed two wins from the opening four races.
The pressure of being in the title fight just seems to have gotten to Checo, who’s errors have given Verstappen a huge advantage, both in the standings and in regard to mind games.
Prost doesn’t think Perez has approached his title fight correctly and is unsure why he has spoken “so loudly” about wanting to beat Verstappen, something which appears to have worked against him.
“A driver’s game is always to try and tip the balance in his favour, whether it’s the set-up of the car or the contribution of the team. And that’s where Perez is wrong,” Prost told L’Equipe.
“He needs to make Max Verstappen doubt him and change Red Bull’s mind about him.
“As we know, Perez is tackling an almost impossible mission. And in order to achieve it, he must above all not shout so loudly about his desire to beat Max.”
In Prost’s eyes though, the current situation isn’t completely Perez’s fault.
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The Frenchman doesn’t think the 33-year-old’s father has been particularly helpful, especially after he compared Perez’s and Verstappen’s title fight, to that of Prost’s and Ayrton Senna’s.
“His entourage isn’t helping him either,” Prost said.
“When I read a month ago that his father told journalists that his fight with Max was similar to the one I had with Ayrton, it’s pointless and counterproductive.”