Max Verstappen reacts after Sergio Perez reopens old wound

Max Verstappen has downplayed Sergio Perez’s comments over a controversial incident during their time as Red Bull F1 teammates.

Verstappen and Perez spent four years as teammates between 2021 and 2024.

During that time, Verstappen won four consecutive F1 drivers’ titles, while Red Bull picked up two F1 constructors’ titles.

While Verstappen had a significant advantage over Perez for most of their time as teammates, the start of the 2022 season was the closest the Mexican came.

Perez won the Monaco Grand Prix despite crashing out at the end of qualifying.

Later in the year, it transpired that Verstappen had held a grudge against Perez as he felt he had crashed on purpose to secure a higher track position.

When speaking on the Desde el Paddock, Perez admitted he would save the key details for a future book.

However, Perez referred to the fact that Verstappen likes to settle things “on track”.

Verstappen did take matters into his own hands by not letting Perez through at the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix after being ordered to do so by Red Bull, with the latter fighting against Charles Leclerc for P2 in the drivers’ standings.

“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 had something on his mind from qualifying in Monaco - we talked about it at the next race in Baku, and it was all settled.

“But Max is like that. He holds things in until he finally lets them out, usually on the track.”

Verstappen has “great relationship” with Perez

Verstappen quickly dismissed the question about Perez’s comment, hinting that the media was twisting his words.

“No, but I also think how you word [the question] is not how he meant it,” Verstappen said. 

“I have a great relationship with Checo, we were great teammates and so I have a lot of respect for him, he has a lot of respect for me, and that is it from my side.

“I am looking forward to hopefully seeing him again in the paddock soon, and I still need to give him a helmet of mine.

“I promised him that because he gave me one of his with a very nice message on it, and I promised him that hopefully, around Mexico, I can give him one of mine.

“So for me, whatever is written in the media, I know how Checo is and we have a great relationship.”