P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Horner: Perez’s Miami defeat a "big psychological blow" in F1 title race
Sergio Perez had a strong start to the 2023 Formula 1 season, with wins in Jeddah and Baku, and was just six points behind Max Verstappen in the driver standings heading into the Miami race. Perez’s chances of taking the lead were boosted when Verstappen made a mistake in qualifying and Charles Leclerc crashed, allowing Perez to qualify on pole while Verstappen started ninth. However, Verstappen made a comeback on a different strategy and passed Perez after his pitstop, ultimately winning the race. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes that Perez’s momentum and confidence suffered a blow after the Miami race, and he started making mistakes, like in Monaco qualifying. Despite the ups and downs, Perez showed improvements towards the end of the season and achieved second place in the championship, marking a significant achievement for him and the team.
