Red Bull F1 team principal Christian Horner says maintaining good communication is key to managing the relationship between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
Christian Horner shared his thoughts on the friction between the two riders in the second half of the 2022 season in a video on Speedcafe.com.
Sergio Perez was battling for second place in the Drivers’ Championship at the final round against Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Max Verstappen, who had won his second F1 world championship at the Japanese F1 GP, refused to help teammate Sergio Perez at the Brazilian F1 GP.
Max Verstappen was cleared past Sergio Perez to chase and pass Charles Leclerc in a tough race for Red Bull.
But Max Verstappen was unable to pass Charles Leclerc. And then he refused to give way to Sergio Perez. He expressed his disappointment at the request over the radio, denying him the precious colon.
In the end, Charles Leclerc remained second in the drivers’ standings, three points behind Sergio Perez.
“They’re both quite grown up and have an open relationship with each other,” Horner said of his two drivers.
“Anytime an issue comes up, it’s talked about, put on the table, discussed, but I think communication is always the best way to approach an issue.”
“And Sergio is an experienced man. He’s been through a lot.”
“He’s a very well rounded guy. Max is also a very honest person.”
“They’ve enjoyed a decent relationship for a long time and I see that continuing.”
Questions arose over the weekend in Abu Dhabi about the relationship between Sergio Perez and Verstappen. The team immediately set up a meeting to resolve the issue.
This led to media speculation trying to make sense of the situation, infuriating Max Verstappen.
The root of this problem is said to go back to Sergio Perez’s crash in qualifying for the Monaco F1 GP, and Max Verstappen is believed to have felt it was a deliberate act to secure pole position.
Sergio Perez has denied the allegations, but neither Verstappen nor the team have confirmed or denied that it was indeed the root cause.
When asked if more transparency could have handled the situation better, Christian Horner said: “Drivers have the right to speak privately to each other.”
“You don’t have to cover every conversation with digital media or anything.”
“The drivers had a good conversation after the race in Brazil. The air was completely clear and we could see that when they arrived in Abu Dhabi.”
“I think they are a phenomenal match for Red Bull.”
“The success they have achieved in recent seasons and their joint performance this year in winning the world championship for the first time in nine years has been a tremendous performance for both teams.”
“And I’m sure they will continue, as they have in recent seasons.”
Category: F1 / Red Bull / Sergio Perez / Max Verstappen
