Red Bull F1, Verstappen and Perez friction irreparable?[F1-Gate.com]

Some experts expect the late-season friction that emerged between Red Bull F1’s Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez to continue in 2023.

Sky Sport’s F1 team discusses issues that have overshadowed the end of Red Bull Racing’s dominant 2022 season. At the F1 Brazilian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen refused to give back his position to Sergio Perez, who is fighting for second place in the drivers’ rankings.

Rumors at the time surfaced that Max Verstappen was unwilling to hand over position to his teammate after Sergio Perez deliberately crashed during qualifying for the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix earlier this year.

At the season finale F1 Abu Dhabi GP, Red Bull Racing downplayed the situation and claimed to have gotten out of the team order controversy.

But Sky Sports’ F1 commentary head David Croft believes irreparable damage has been done.

“There must be a trust issue there,” said David Croft.

“You have to be able to trust the team and as a driver you have to be able to trust your teammates.”

“Whatever happened in Monaco, let’s just assume there was something wrong with the Czech crash. If it’s not an act of bad luck, then there’s a trust issue there.”

“And deep down, you don’t care who it is. You think, ‘Will they do it again?’ I don’t know how to fix it.”

Red Bull Racing dominated the 2022 season, winning both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships with a few rounds to go.

In his second year of partnership with Red Bull, Max Verstappen also significantly outperformed Sergio Perez for the entire season.

Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok insists Sergio Perez must raise his level if he wants to compete with his teammates in the future.

“With the driver’s hat on, I still remember the driver who blocked me on the qualifying lap in 2007,” said Karun Chandhok.

“Next year, when the Czechs are asked to help Max, we will know the true damage Brazil has done and that will be interesting.”

“But in the end, the Czechs have to lift his game. He has only outqualified Max three times this year, all three times on the street circuit, one of them being Monaco. rice field”

“If he wants to be in a competitive position, he has to lift his game.”