Red Bull boss battling to preserve unity, reputation

SAO PAULO: Red Bull boss Christian Horner was battling to rescue his team’s unity and reputation on Sunday night after an acrimonious end to the Brazilian Grand Prix saw their drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez in conflict.

A testy Verstappen, who has already secured his second successive world title, refused to reveal his reasons for disobeying team orders while Perez, who was stunned by his team-mate’s surly behaviour, said he (Verstappen) had “showed who he really is.”

Perez, whose exceptional defensive driving in the final laps of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix helped Verstappen beat seventime champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes to take his first drivers’ title, said he was confused by the dispute.

“I don’t understand what his reaction was. If he has two championships, it is thanks to me,” he said.

Horner called the pair together for a meeting to patch up their relationship after Verstappen refused to obey a team order to allow Perez to pass him for sixth place on the closing laps.

Red Bull wanted to support the Mexican’s bid to finish ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the drivers’ title race - but they are now level on 290 points with one race to go and the Monegasque ahead on race wins.

Verstappen’s blunt refusal, broadcast on team radio, shocked Red Bull as the team struggled to their worst result since the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

The row between the champion team’s drivers left many paddock observers intrigued as Horner and Red Bull refused to explain Verstappen’s grievance.

“As a team, we discuss these things internally,” said Horner.

“We will go to Abu Dhabi to get ‘Checo’ the second place and Max will support that. We won’t talk about what happens internally but the drivers shook hands on it.

“We work as a team. We race as a team and our priority is to help Checo get second in the championship. We will do the best we can to achieve that and if Max can help in any way he will do.”