In the final lap of the Brazilian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen didn’t let his teammate Sergio Perez pass him, which could have him gain two more points and earn a two-point advantage over Charles Leclerc in the championship standings ahead of the final race of the season.
Even though Red Bull ordered Verstappen to prioritize Perez, the Dutchman didn’t allow it. This episode left Perez fuming after the race, and he even verbally attacked his teammate on the radio and in front of the media.
This leaves Perez with an absolute necessity to finish above Leclerc in the season’s final race. Red Bull answered on Monday that Verstappen will now totally assist Perez in his championship runner-up spot.
Sergio Perez hopes maturity from Max Verstappen
The controversy followed a heavy outrage by many F1 fans for the ‘lack of team spirit’. And with Perez’s comments, it surely would have added the heat internally.
Meanwhile, pro-Verstappen media also rooted out reports of Perez deliberately crashing in Monaco to level the field regarding team loyalty. In the end, Red Bull aims to settle the dust, and Perez expects Verstappen to act like an adult.
“Obviously, I am disappointed, especially after all I’ve done. But I’m sure we are all grown-ups and we will move forward as a team,” said Perez to Motorsport.com.
Perez further reiterates that he has done a lot for Verstappen to win the two consecutive championship titles the Dutchman won. But he wants the following discussion to happen internally with the team and move on.
Issue resolved
The Mexican driver is now adamant that the internal issue has been resolved. He hopes to get assistance from Verstappen during the season’s final race to get the P2 position in the championship.
The 33-year-old also adds that it doesn’t make sense for him to compete if he doesn’t get it. In Brazil, Red Bull probably had a bad race after ages in 2022. Things for both Verstappen and Perez got worse as the race progressed.
On the other hand, Mercedes stepped up the game and got its first win of the season through George Russell’s efforts. Now, it remains to be seen whether they will go for another in Abu Dhabi to warn others what they can do next year.
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