Sergio Perez has unveiled a surprising rift with former teammate Max Verstappen, stemming from the 2022 Formula 1 season at Red Bull. The issue became apparent during the Brazilian Grand Prix when Perez allowed Verstappen to overtake him strategically, only for Verstappen to refuse team orders to return the position, citing undisclosed reasons.
Monaco Incident and Lingering Tensions Behind the Dispute
Speculation about the source of this conflict often pointed to a late-Q3 crash by Perez during the Monaco Grand Prix, which hampered Verstappen’s chance to improve his lap time. Perez acknowledged that Verstappen had quietly held a grudge from that event, surprising him since they believed the matter was resolved soon after.
“That’s something I’m saving for my book – I’ll give you the full story there,”
Perez teased about his forthcoming memoir.
“Max had an issue with what happened in Monaco,”
Perez explained.
“He never told me directly, he kept it to himself and brought it up six or eight months later. At the time, we talked about it and cleared everything up,”
he added.
“But Max is like that. He holds things in until he finally lets them out, usually on the track.”
Consequences of the Fallout on the F1 Community and Future Disclosures
The unexpected breakdown in cooperation between the two drivers sent shockwaves through motorsport followers, especially given Red Bull’s high-stakes championship battles. Fans are now awaiting detailed insights from Perez’s upcoming book, which promises to delve deeper into this tense chapter. This revelation could reshape understandings of team dynamics and rivalry in F1 as the story continues to unfold on and off the circuit.
