Party coming up at Red Bull in Brazil. And no, it’s not exactly a happy holiday. It is metaphorical and, directly, in quotation marks. Because the ‘party’ that those in energy drinks are going to have to deal with, after what happened in Interlagos, can be a before and after in the relationship between Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez.
Between a couple of drivers who have led the Austrians to win, at last, a Constructors’ World Championship, and, also at last, two drivers titles with the wounds of the Dutch pilot. But in Brazil everything may have changed.
Because with the trophy already conquered by Max, Red Bull asked the Dutchman to let Pérez pass in order to secure second place in the Drivers’ World Championship. So that the Mexican achieved the world runner-up before Charles Leclerc. It was the team order.
One that asked the two-time champion, if he couldn’t pass Alonso, let his teammate overtake. To a Czech who had already left his place in the race to Verstappen. The Dutchman did not surpass Fernando… and did deaf ears at the direct order of Red Bull.
This made Sergio Pérez finished more than hot in Interlagos. In the corralito he was tremendously clear and blunt in a crack of time rarely seen between two teammates.
“If he has two World Cups it’s thanks to me”
“With everything I’ve done for him, I don’t know what happened. I don’t understand his reasons. If Verstappen has two World Cups, it’s thanks to me.” he claimed.
The truth is his work in Abu Dhabi 2021 was key to retain Hamilton and so that Verstappen could put pressure on Lewis, and this year there have been many times that he has let the Dutchman pass to add more points to his locker.
He was already warm on the radio, as was clear in his words at the end of the race in which even Christian Horner, team manager, apologized: “He has shown who he really is.”