Tensions have flared up at Red Bull as Max Verstappen refused team orders to let Sergio Perez pass on the last lap of the Brazilian Grand Prix.
For Perez, each and every point is important as he battles Charles Leclerc for P2 in the Drivers championship and Verstappen’s refusal might have major consequences as Perez and Leclerc head to the season finale on level points.
The 25-year-old Dutch driver claimed during interviews post the race and on his team radio that he had stated his thoughts on supporting his teammate quite clearly to them earlier this year and that they should be conscious of his reasons for not letting Perez pass.
The Monaco crash could be the reason for the dispute
It is now believed that Verstappen’s resentment toward Perez arises from the race in Monaco early this year when Perez crashed in the final part of qualifying before he could finish his final flying lap, denying Verstappen the chance to grab the pole.
The Mexican was on a provisional pole but he spun at Portier and was struck by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz which triggered a red flag.
The session ended early as there was not enough time left for others to set a fast lap to beat the 32-year-old.
There have been speculations that Perez has since revealed to Christian Horner and the Red Bull squad that he crashed deliberately since he knew it would clinch pole position for him, a smart but unsportsmanlike move if the rumors are true.
The onboard video of Perez shows that he steps on the gas as he starts to exit the corner which results in the car suddenly spinning out, a technique that drivers use to get out of a run-off area.
When questioned about the crash, Perez explained that the crash happened due to a lack of grip and was not intentional.
“I was, I think, quite close to my time, trying to make it up.”
“Turn 8 has been a difficult one for me throughout the qualifying session.
“So I was trying to anticipate and get quite early on the throttle. But as soon as I touched the throttle, I could feel like the rear tyre was not gripping in.
“And I was playing with it a bit, until I lost it.”
Verstappen definitely thinks Perez deliberately brought out the red flag since he was so against the idea of helping this teammate in his fight with Leclerc, despite everything the Mexican has done for him.
For more updates, follow us on Twitter.