Max Verstappen (left) and Sergio Perez (3rd from left) are teammates, but are engaged in a fierce duel for the world title. Bild: imago images/Motorsport Images
Formula 1
Although Red Bull is currently well ahead in Formula 1 and occupies the first two places with Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez, there is also said to be a crisis behind the scenes. A motorsport legend now found clear words for this.
Formula 1: Verstappen overtakes Pérez
It was recently suspected that Verstappen had defied the instructions of his team boss in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The theory: the world champion should not drive faster than his teammate Pérez. However, he did so on the last lap and set the fastest lap time of the race, earning him an extra point in the championship rankings.
Shortly thereafter, team boss Christian Horner denied this assumption. The team had come to the conclusion that Verstappen could certainly overtake his colleague in terms of time on the last lap, if that were possible. He further reported that Pérez even asked “what’s up next” – according to Horner knowing that Verstappen would try.
The Mexican then tried to counteract this, but gave up shortly afterwards because he was too far behind.
Motorsport legend Damon Hill speaks plainly
Now Damon Hill, world champion from 1996, commented on the explosive situation – and clearly sided with Pérez. So he “put up a mighty fight in Saudi Arabia and won,” he explained to “Motorsport“.
Damon Hill became Formula 1 World Champion in 1996. Bild: imago images/Fotoarena/Cristiano Andujar
In addition, according to Hill, it could pose a problem for Pérez that the Dutchman is “a kind of force of nature”. He puts pressure on Red Bull to keep his title and not have to give it to Pérez. According to the motorsport legend, not only Verstappen himself but also his family are involved:
“I know the pressure from the Verstappens, including his father, on Red Bull will be huge. He’ll play the card and say, ‘I’m your future. The whole opportunity is building around me’, and he will take advantage of them.”
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Because while Verstappen is just 25 years old, Pérez at 33 is already at an advanced Formula 1 age.
However, Hill does not believe that the Mexican could give himself “beaten without a fight”. However, Red Bull is “a difficult environment”, in which some drivers have already let themselves be defeated. In addition, according to Hill, the Verstappen family would not accept a triumph from Pérez, the former world champion emphasized:
“Whatever happens, the Verstappens won’t take it easy. You saw after Saudi Arabia that Max looked very unhappy with the way things went. These people don’t like being second.”
However, since Sergio Pérez has an experienced manager at his side in Julian Jacob and is a “self-confident guy” himself, Hill believes that things could still be “quite interesting” between the two.
