The betrayal, the drama, the tensions, and the challenge for the championship. We saw it all in the Red Bull camp in the 2023 season between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. However, do you know what gave rise to these tensions despite the two being good friends and a team in 2021? To answer this question, we will have to take you almost exactly a year ago to the Brazilian GP. 

Back in the 2022 Brazilian GP came a scenario that put a dent in the relationship between Verstappen and Perez forever. During the race at Interlagos, Verstappen brutally snubbed his team’s orders and in the process, his teammates’s chances of a P2 finish in the championship, which he missed out on by a mere 3-point gap. So let’s see what went down at the 2022 Brazilian GP. 

The revenge tactic from Max Verstappen that scorned his relationship with Sergio Perez during the 2022 Brazilian GP 

The Dutchman was behind Perez in a stint, where he felt he had more pace than his teammate. Sergio Perez was unable to catch the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso and Ferrari of Charles Leclerc in front of him. So after a point, Verstappen was tasked to chase the two down and steal some points off of them. However, that’s where the trouble began. 

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After Verstappen was let through, the Dutchman tried with all his might, but was unable to catch Alonso and Leclerc. So on the last lap, with Perez right behind Verstappen, he was told, “Max, if we don’t pass Fernando on the exit of 12, can we let Checo through, please? Let Checo back through.” 

As we all know, despite the repetitive instructions, an unresponsive Verstappen did not let Checo through on the last lap to give him the points advantage, even though both the championships were done and dusted. 

When asked about it on the radio by GP, Verstappen responded after crossing the finish line, “I told you already last summer, you guys don’t ask that again to me, ok? Are we clear about that? I gave my reasons, and I stand by it.” 

A frustrated Perez did not stay silent as well. On the radio, he said, “Yeah, it shows who he really is.”

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All this commotion was highlighted in a 2022 Brazilian GP radio compilation video on YouTube by F1. This commotion has largely become the reason behind the rift between the two and Perez’s open challenge for the 2023 season’s championship.

Sergio Perez could not stop firing warnings at Max Verstappen at the start of the season

Verstappen might’ve justified his actions in regard to the allegations of Perez’s planned crash in Monaco to give him an advantage. However, Perez still did not appreciate the Dutchman snubbing him in Brazil. This is exactly why he challenged his teammate for the championship at the start of the season. 

“In Formula 1, only your position in Abu Dhabi matters. But I am not second in the World Cup by miracle. I have won races. I’ve had some bad races, but we have everything ahead of us,” said Perez. 

However, as we know now, things did not pan according to Perez’s plan and Verstappen won the championship more comfortably than the 2022 season. 

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In fact, even though Perez is still second in the championship, his poor run of form has put his future in question despite his team’s support. It will be an interesting winter break, especially if Lewis Hamilton catches the Mexican by the end of the Abu Dhabi GP.