Things have been messy at Red Bull. With both their drivers seemingly at odds with each other, it looks like the drama has permeated the families as well. Last year after the events of the infamous Brazilian GP, there was a noticeable rift between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez and things have gone downhill ever since; reflective of Lewis Hamilton & Nico Rosberg in Mercedes.
Verstappen’s mother had then lashed out by accusing Perez of cheating on his wife, and more recently, Jos Verstappen‘s visible distaste at Perez’s victory at Jeddah had both taken over the internet. Now, Perez’s father speaks out.
Max Verstappen & Family told to look at Lewis Hamilton
When asked about Jos Verstappen’s reaction to his son’s success, Antonio Perez Garibay refused to focus on the negativity. Instead, he brought up his picture kissing Lewis Hamilton’s dad, Anthony.
“We have to be respectful. If we see the most important and most [viral] photo in the 70 years of F1, it is the one of the kiss that I gave Hamilton’s father, it is a kiss that I gave him for all the love and respect that I gave him. I have him and his son [Lewis].” (translated using Google translate)
Thus hinting at the lack of respect from the Verstappen household, Perez refused to play dirty. However, it goes to show how something as simple as respect both on and off the track is important to keep the morale up and maintain very crucial team dynamics.
Perez & Verstappen relationship analyzed by Perez Sr.
The hierarchy at Red Bull has become a hotly debated topic in the F1 world. Anthony Perez chimes in on the situation, dismissing the notion that there’s any favoritism within the championship-winning team.
Perez emphasized that Red Bull is a multi-million dollar brand that far outweighs the importance of any individual driver or their family. He described any claims of favoritism as “totally a lie.”
Perez went on to explain that Red Bull’s ultimate goal is for both of their drivers to finish consistently in the top two positions. He emphasized that Red Bull is a professional team that prioritizes winning above all else and that both drivers are equally valued. In Perez’s eyes, Red Bull is the best team in the world and any speculation of favoritism is baseless.
