“The team always comes first”: Mika Hakkinen schools Max Verstappen over Sergio Perez controversy

The Brazilian Grand Prix ended with a spicy controversy between the Red Bull duo. F1 world champion Max Verstappen refused to follow the team’s orders and let his teammate Sergio Perez overtake him in the race’s final lap.

The Dutchman cited his ‘reasons’ explained to the team earlier for not giving an advantage to Perez in the championship. Verstappen not compromising for Perez fetched him an instant outrage from many F1 fans.

Even Perez criticized Verstappen after the race. He even remarked that Verstappen lifted the two F1 championships because of him. Even a few prominent F1 personalities chimed in to attack Verstappen for his act.

Also read: Max Verstappen’s mother calls out Sergio Perez for cheating in Monaco; fumes F1 twitter

Mika Hakkinen tells Max Verstappen that the team comes first

With Verstappen gaining hate from everywhere for not letting Perez pass, Mika Hakkinen also expressed his opinion about the controversy. He commented on Twitter that the team comes first and should follow the agreement between you and the teammate.

“The team always comes first and if you have an agreement about how you and your team mate work together it is always best to keep to that,” said Hakkinen.

Hakkinen expanded his opinion on the Brazilian Grand Prix on his blog at Unibet. For him, the race at Interlagos was an exciting contest, where Mercedes registered their first win of the season.

Sergio Perez will get all help in Abu Dhabi

With the P7 finish in Brazil, Perez finds himself equal to Charles Leclerc in points for the runner-up position in the championship standings. Thus, he is in dire need of finishing above the Ferrari superstar in the season’s final race in Abu Dhabi on the coming Sunday.

Red Bull chief Helmut Marko has guaranteed that Verstappen would assist Perez during that race to ensure his P2 finish in the table, unlike in Brazil. But would that happen is still to be known.

Leclerc and Perez would be going for the win in Abu Dhabi and getting a full push from their respective teams. But at the same time, even Lewis Hamilton would be aiming to get his sole win of the season.

Mercedes’ pace in Brazil was incredible, and with George Russell’s win, Hamilton would be even more motivated to maintain his 14-year-long streak. The season’s final race surely could get some saucy headlines as it turns its final page.

Also read: F1 expert says Sebastian Vettel’s Multi-21 is nowhere near to what Max Verstappen did to Sergio Perez