Red Bull star Sergio Perez has laid down the law to team-mate Max Verstappen ahead of this weekend’s 2023 curtain-raiser in Bahrain. The duo’s relationship appeared to be strained at points last season, not least when Verstappen refused to yield at the Brazilian Grand Prix while Perez was scrapping for points.
By the time drivers approached the finish line in Sao Paulo last November, Verstappen was already away and clear in the points standings with his second consecutive Drivers’ Championship mathematically sealed.
The Dutchman had been allowed to pass Perez into sixth to go and hunt down those ahead of him, but the Mexican was informed that he would be given the place back if Verstappen failed to gain any positions.
Still in sixth and rounding the final corner, the two-time champ was instructed to let Perez past as promised but he powered on through the line. Many fans were left perplexed as Perez was fighting to finish second in the Championship, while Verstappen’s top spot was already confirmed.
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Red Bull maintained that the pair’s relationship was under control at the time, but Perez recently warned Verstappen that he would not provide any help on track this coming season unless his assistance is reciprocated.
“It’s always important to work as a team and obviously if I see that I don’t receive support when I need it, I won’t give it either,” he told Fox Sports in Mexico, per GPFans. “That’s obvious, but I don’t expect any of that.
“I think we are very clear about the important thing, it will be a very intense season, surely with six cars fighting for the championship, so it will be very important to work as a team in many races.”
Perez was particularly helpful to his team-mate in the dying embers of the 2021 season, when Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton contested a thrilling finale in Abu Dhabi. Perez skilfully held up Hamilton before Verstappen went on to pass the Brit on the final lap, but after the controversy in Brazil last year, the reigning champion stood by his principles.
“I have my reasons for [not letting him through],” Verstappen said after the race. “We just discussed that, and I think it was better that we finally sat together and spoke about it, and just moved forward from here.
“For sure, if we go to Abu Dhabi and he needs the points, because they’re tied, it’s not the end of the world, it’s all about who finishes ahead anyway. If he needs the help, I’ll be there. But it’s good that we talked about it now and basically cleared everything that was there why I didn’t do it.”
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