VERSTAPPEN RELATIONSHIP WITH RED BULL FALLS
FORMULA 1 world champion Max Verstappen appears to be in Red Bull’s bad books after refusing to let team-mate Sergio Perez pass in his hopes of securing a silver medal.
The relationship between Red Bull team-mates Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez ‘seems to have seriously snapped’ following the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
That’s according to sections of the Dutch media, who have analysed Verstappen’s unexpected refusal to give up a grid position in order to aid his colleague.
Despite guaranteeing the Formula 1 crown would return to Milton Keynes at the end of this year, Sunday’s fallout has cast a shadow over Red Bull heading into the final race of the season.
Team principal Christian Horner appeared to be among those surprised two-time champion Verstappen declined to give up sixth so that Perez —his partner since 2021 —would have a better chance of finishing the year in second.
Instead, the Mexican was forced to settle for seventh place and heads into Sunday’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix level on 290 points with Ferrari ‘s Charles Leclerc.
Dutch broadcaster NOS referred to the situation in Sao Paulo as an “indoor fire “for Red Bull, while the resurgent Mercedes revelled in George Russell ‘s maiden F1 race win. De Telegraaf signalled this could mark the revival of the rivalry between the two manufacturers, particularly after Lewis Hamilton celebrated his third consecutive second-place finish.
However, the harshest assessment came from Algemeen Dagblad journalist Arjan Schouten, who wrote “something seems to have seriously snapped” between Perez and Verstappen. Up until recently, the relationship between the two has appeared nothing other than harmonious, but it appears that may no longer be the case.
Fans and pundits alike were incredulous as to why Verstappen—who tied up his second world championship in Japan, with four races remaining —was so precious about keeping sixth place ahead of his team-mate.