Power-tripping Max Verstappen has thrown Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez under the bus

Power-tripping Max Verstappen has thrown Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez under the bus,Red Bull are facing unwanted scrutiny again following Max Verstappen’s decision to ignore a team order to help teammate Sergio Perez at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix

Power-tripping Max Verstappen has thrown Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez under the bus

A collision between bitter rivals Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen would normally dominate the headlines following a grand prix. But that is so 2021.

The early clash, as Verstappen tried to barge past his old foe, was merely a subplot to events in Sao Paulo. So, to a degree, was George Russell’s maiden grand prix win and Mercedes’ first victory of the season.

The main talking point was the bust-up between Red Bull teammates Verstappen and Sergio Perez after the world champion refused a team order to give up sixth spot to aid the Mexican’s quest to clinch second in the championship.

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Has a dominant, double champion-winning team ever attracted such negative attention?

Just when the cost cap saga had been put to bed, Red Bull are fighting again. But this time it’s not with their rivals or Sky Sports, they’re fighting amongst themselves, and quite needlessly.

Verstappen has to take most of the blame. With the title wrapped up and having been helped out by dutiful number two Perez on numerous occasions, his refusal to give up a sixth place was churlish at best and downright vindictive at worst.

No one would have blamed Verstappen had been leading the race but sixth place? Born winners like Verstappen don’t care about finishing sixth or seventh.

Sergio Perez looked like a broken man after Sao Paulo Grand Prix (Image: Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

But as we now know, this was about more than just a sixth place, it was payback for something Perez is alleged to have done earlier this season. It has been rumoured that Perez’s crash in qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix was no accident, that he hit barrier on purpose to ensure he started ahead of his stablemate. There are even claims from Dutch media that Perez admitted as much to Christian Horner and Helmut Marko.

When pressed, Verstappen answered that question by not answering it. “I don’t need to say where it was,” he said.

Whether that is true or not, it takes a curious mind to cash in his revenge over a minor placing. And why make the issue so public? Verstappen would have been better off just saying he didn’t want to give up the place and leave it at that, or that he didn't understand the message.

But his ruthless radio message to engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, where he laid down the law like a team boss rather than a driver, has brought the simmering tension between him and Perez to the surface, bringing more negative publicity to the team.

What do you think about Verstappen's behaviour? Tell us in the comments section below.

Red Bull trio Max Verstappen, Christian Horner and Helmut Marko (Image: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

Verstappen’s behaviour is a clear case of amusing his powerful position within the team, who have been made to look weak. He and Perez know too well that Perez can’t win this fight, however unfair that is on the Mexican, who looked like a broken man after the race.

He will now be facing unwanted questions about his own conduct and that crash in Monaco. He has been well and truly thrown under the bus by a man he fought like a lion for during last year’s title-decider in Abu Dhabi, holding up the much-quicker Hamilton to help Verstappen close the gap.

Red Bull have indulged Verstappen to the potential detriment of the team. That does not bode well for the Milton Keynes squad ahead of what should be a much closer title fight next year.