In four races in 2023, the Red Bull Racing team won three winning doubles, with Sergio Perez already ahead of teammate Max Verstappen twice. According to Ralf Schumacher, former Formula 1 driver and now expert on Sky Deutschland, this could sooner or later lead to a conflict in a team from Milton Keynes, where they are clearly betting on a two-time world champion.
Last weekend in Baku, Perez again climbed to the top of the podium to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix for the second time in three years, cutting his gap to Verstappen in the individual standings to six points.
Commenting on this situation, Ralf Schumacher said: “The relationships in the team are not easy and in my opinion it is already clear that Verstappen’s entourage wants him to change partners. Such rumors reach me everywhere.
I think Perez is aware of these issues and understands that his time with Red Bull Racing is coming to an end. Now he is fighting for wins as he also claims the role of first violin and wants a chance to fight for the title.
But it has always been this way: a partner is always your main rival. And who knows how further events will develop. With the example of Lewis Hamilton, we see how quickly the situation within the team can change.
That’s why Sergio is behaving more and more selfishly, and Max can’t complain here. He knows very well what selfishness is. Verstappen played this card well and it is no coincidence that he is regarded as the number 1 driver in his team. It is clear that he is now trying to mark his territory, and being a partner of such a rider is not easy – personally I would absolutely not want to be on the same team with him.
A year ago, in May 2022, Sergio Perez extended his contract with Red Bull Racing, which expires at the end of 2024.
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
