One is the number eligible for every Formula One World Champion, currently used by Max Verstappen. Throughout Formula One’s 73-year running, many “Number Two” drivers had to play the team game in favor of their teammates. While its existence is fiercely debated on both ends, having a clear hierarchy means the team can shift its focus to other teams instead of internal battles. Think Rosberg-Hamilton, Prost-Senna, and Sainz-Leclerc.

           But, for Mark Webber, Valtteri Bottas, and Sergio Perez, their “Number Two” jobs are perhaps more concrete than most because all of their teammates are candidates for the Greatest of All Time crown. Let’s get to know all three of them and see how well they fare.

Mark Webber

           Being the more senior and experienced Red Bull driver at the start of 2008, Webber would not have expected the hotshot Sebastian Vettel to be that strong. But, the German had already won his first race and gotten his first pole position, well before Webber and in an inferior car, no less.

           Throughout their five-year partnership, Webber was completely obliterated in every aspect; he was unqualified 22-72 and outraced 27-66. Vettel never finished lower than second in the championship and won four titles in a row, whereas Webber could never do better than third. Webber won 9 Grands Prix throughout his career, a feat Vettel would take only the second half of 2013 to match.

           Yes, it is conclusive that Webber is the weaker of the two, but Red Bull Racing would not have won four straight titles as it did without him. His contribution and legacy are largely felt in Milton Keynes.

Valtteri Bottas

           The best-performing member of the trio, Valtteri Bottas, joined Mercedes in such an abrupt fashion following the shock retirement of the reigning World Champion Nico Rosberg in 2016. Bottas’ task was mainly to help Mercedes fight off Scuderia Ferrari and support Lewis Hamilton.

           Throughout his five-year tenure at the Brackley-based team, Bottas won 10 grands prix and scored more than 1,300 points. He managed to become vice-champion in 2019 and 2020. But the important point is that Bottas was never considered nor allowed to become a challenger to Hamilton, perhaps due to fear of reigniting another Rosberg-style quarrel.

           Still, while his last year with Mercedes was underwhelming, he managed to beat Hamilton and Max Verstappen to take his final victory at the Turkish Grand Prix, showing a glimpse of what the Finn could have been.

           Bottas is still active, unlike the other two, and will race in 2024 for the newly-branded Stake F1 Team.

If you think he has a chance to beat his teammate, Zhou Guanyu, and cement his status as the now-Number One at Stake, place your bets now at 18-bet.com

Sergio Perez

           The final person on this list is the most recent pilot to dare challenge a GOAT candidate. Perez joined Red Bull Racing in 2021 and immediately helped his teammate Max Verstappen push Mercedes. His defense against Hamilton at the final race allowed Verstappen to pass him after the restart, and he was widely regarded as the ‘Mexican Minister of Defence.’

           In 2022, he fared better, scoring two victories and earning another nickname: ‘King of the Street Circuits.’ He also secured his first-ever top-three finish in the driver’s standings and helped Red Bull win their first constructor’s championship in almost a decade.

           However, his fortune completely flipped in 2023. After winning two of the first four races, he was only one point behind Verstappen. He secured the Miami Grand Prix pole, while Verstappen only managed P9. But, in an eerie foreshadowing of that year, Verstappen completely demolished Perez and won the race.

           Most people said Perez has been different since Miami. From that moment to the end of the season, Perez won no more races, stood on the podium only five more times, and crashed out of qualifying on multiple occasions. He finished 2023 with less than half his teammate’s superhuman tally, the first driver to ever receive such a blow.

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Kenneth Stevenson

Kenneth is a home design enthusiast and a professional content writer for RapidHomeDirect.com. He is committed to helping customers discover exciting and customisable home designs that range from classic to modern chic by providing high-quality information and product reviews. Through his writing, he hopes to help his readers make an informed decision when purchasing furniture or architectural products for their homes.

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