SPORTS TALK

Red Bull drivers’ explosive bust-up

F1 racing champ Max Verstappen ( right) keeps putting his foot in it – this time he’s been slammed for ignoring team orders from Red Bull to allow Sergio Perez (left) to pass on the final lap at the recent São Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil.

Perez lashed out at the two-time world champion after he refused to let him pass on the final lap at Interlagos, which would’ve given him the points to move clear of Charles Leclerc into second place in the Drivers’ Championship, saying, “If he has two championships, it’s thanks to me”.

Verstappen (25) had hinted on the team radio that he had “explained my reasons” to the team as to why he was unwilling to let Perez (32) go past.

But critics say the Dutchman took revenge on his colleague when he crashed in the qualifying round of the Monaco Grand Prix, causing Verstappen

to start the race in fourth and denying him a chance to beat Leclerc to pole.

Former F1 world champ Jenson Button says the clash makes Verstappen appear selfish. “It doesn’t come across well; he’s not thinking about the team or his teammate,” he says. “Max could have come out of this so well, the world champion letting his teammate pass so he can fight for second in the championship, but that’s not the story we have.”