Sergio ‘Checo’ Perez is the only man who can deny Max Verstappen a third world title. But, more tellingly, is either the perfect No 2 that Perez is?. But is Hamilton, at 38, still the equal of Master George, let alone Max? It is difficult to put Verstappen and Perez in the Hamilton-Nico Rosberg category, because Perez is not scheming enough to play the cold, calculating Rosberg-esque villain. That evening, Helmut Marko, Red Bull bigwig and Verstappen protector, tore a strip off Max as few others would or could. He can’t get a break when it comes to taking on Verstappen.

Follow MotorMouth on social media:

• 
• 
• 
•