Red Bull's Max Verstappen says he has his 'reasons' after ignoring team orders to let Sergio Perez through
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Updated 13/11/2022 at 22:54 GMT
Max Verstappen is already world champion but he ignored team orders from Red Bull to give his teammate Sergio Perez his sixth place at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Sunday. Perez is chasing second place in the drivers' championship, but Verstappen refused to explain why he had not co-operated with his stablemate in order to help his bid to finish higher up the rankings.
'So, so proud' Verstappen reacts to breaking F1 season win record
Max Verstappen defended his decision to keep his sixth place at the Sao Paulo GP despite team orders from Red Bull.
The Dutchman is already world champion and his teammate Sergio Perez would have benefited from being allowed to move ahead from his position in seventh.
However, despite team orders, Verstappen held onto his place to leave Perez tied on points with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, rather than ahead, going into the season's final race in Abu Dhabi.
George Russell took the win in Brazil ahead of Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Speaking to Sky Sports afterwards, Verstappen would not explain why he ignored instructions.
"I have my reasons for that,” he said. "We just discussed that.
"I think it was good that we finally just sat together and talked about it and basically just move forward from here.
"If we go to Abu Dhabi and he needs support, it is not the end of the world.
"It is all about who finishes ahead anyway. If he needs the help, I am there.
"But it is good that we first talked about it now and cleared everything that was there and why I didn't do it."
In the cockpit, Verstappen had said: "I told you already last time, you guys don't ask that again to me, OK? Are we clear about that? I gave my reasons and I stand by it."
Perez replied to his team at the race's conclusion: "It shows who he really is."
Perez was unhappy, saying: "I was told to let him by and that I was going to get back the position.
"I don't know what the complications where on his side. No idea, maybe you should ask him about it. Nothing to say really.
"After all I have done for him, it is a bit disappointing to be honest. I am really surprised.
"We were definitely down on pace this weekend, so I hope we are back on our usual form in Abu Dhabi."
Team principal Christian Horner gave little away when asked for his view on the incident.
"We discuss these things internally,” he said.
"The drivers were very, very clear and for us, Checo is now tied on points with Charles, Ferrari didn't switch their cars around and we go into Abu Dhabi as a team to do the very best for Checo to get that second place. Max will fully support that.
"The drivers have discussed it, they have shaken hands, and we are focused on that next race.
"We work as a team, we race as a team and our objective and our priority is to see if we can get Checo to finish runner up in the Championship.
"It is something we have never achieved as a team before and Max has given commitment that we will be doing the best we can in Abu Dhabi to achieve that.
"It is a straight fight between Checo and Charles and if Max can help in any way, he will do.
"Checo has done a phenomenal job all year and he deserves that second place and as a team, we will do our very best to support that and to achieve that in Abu Dhabi.
"We will discuss it as a larger group in the debrief later and the bigger discussion will be as well is why we were missing the pace this weekend.
"It is important it is addressed; it is all dealt with above the table and as a team we move on."
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement