Baku never seems to disappoint. In a year where realistically only two drivers are going to battle for the championship, the Baku Street Circuit had to deliver to keep the excitement up for the season. Be that as it may, even though the race didn’t have a lot of crashes and sparks, the Grand Prix did give us a sneak peek into what the season could look like with both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez going toe-to-toe at the same level and intensity.

Perez came out on top today as he took a commanding race victory. But the win in itself will have major ramifications for the title battle. Today, the Mexican showed us that he can outdo the Dutch Lion. However, this did come at a cost. While any team would gladly lap up a 1-2 finish, with a supposed rift amongst the ranks at Red Bull, today may have divided the team up even more. At the chequered flag, team boss Christian Horner brewed some serious controversy as he popped up on Verstappen’s team radio.

Everything aside, no one can question the authority Perez had over Verstappen in today’s race. Whether he can keep this intensity up for the rest of the season is another story. But what irked the fans was Horner diluting the credit Perez deserved for an amazing drive today.

Fans react as Christian Horner picks Max Verstappen over Sergio Perez

As soon as Horner came onto Verstappen’s radio and said what he had to, fans rushed to the social networking site, Twitter, to share their own reactions. One fan even commented, “As the @redbullracing team principal, Christian Horner is responsible for managing the team’s internal dynamics and fostering a positive working environment. Instead he is creating tensions between Max and Checo. What a shameful human being he is!“

Let’s take a look at just a few of the fan reactions to Horner’s viral comments.

Read More: Strict Rules Laid Down for Max Verstappen & Sergio Perez by Christian Horner as Rivalry for the Championship Intensifies

Today, Sergio Perez was the better driver. There’s no doubt about it. After Nyck de Vries retired on track, a Safety Car was called. However, Red Bull had pitted Verstappen just a moment or two before it. Hence, while Verstappen lost out, his teammate took advantage of the slower mandated deltas to overtake his teammate in the pits. This is what Horner may have been referring to.

Even though Perez pipped Verstappen under the Safety Car, he pulled out a lead afterward and kept it. Further, Verstappen was pitted in the first place as he complained of massive tire wear as compared to his teammate, who was on the same tire. This is why the fans thought Horner of being unfair.

It would appear that the team boss has taken sides in the championship fight.

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If the “bias” is true, things don’t look too good for Checo. But can the Mexican overcome all odds to become the 2023 F1 World Champion?