Despite a near-perfect start to the season, tension is brewing in the Milton Keynes team. Sergio Perez took a fifth career win in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with teammate and 2-time champion Max Verstappen following second and snatching away the championship point for the fastest lap at the end of the race.
Despite a technical failure for Verstappen in Q2 in Jeddah, Red Bull racing has managed to pull off the most successful and promising start of the season in their history in the sport. Their two drivers embarked on their third year together, taking up the first two podium positions in two consecutive races...never before achieved by Red Bull.
Max Verstappen was knocked out of qualifying due to a draft shaft failure which forced him to only be a spectator during the remainder of the qualifying session. Meaning he had to start 15th on Sunday.
As successfully predicted by Fernando Alonso, Verstappen has managed to reach P2 by lap 25, with a little help from the safety care brought on by Stroll in the Aston Martin.
At that point, Sergio Perez was in the lead and had the fastest lap of the race to his name, which would put him in the lead of the championship for the first time in his career. However, his teammate was not having that. After being told multiple times by his engineers to reduce his pace in the closing stages of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen snatched away the championship point for the fastest lap of the race anyway. Sergio Perez, therefore, stays second in the championship with 43 points, just one short of his Red Bull teammate.
A seemingly perfect outcome has left both Red Bull drivers unhappy. Jos Verstappen, Max’s father and former F1 driver, also seemed displeased with the result of the race as he did not join other RB team members in congratulating Perez for his win.
Max Verstappen also didn’t try and hide his gloomy mood after the race. “Personally I’m not happy, because I’m not here to be second”
- Max Verstappen
Damon Hill, the 1996 champion later stated that there will be increasing pressure from the Verstappen father and son duo. as they will try and prevent more situations where Perez could be taking points from Max Verstappen.
“From the point of view of the sport, I think that they need to let Checo have every opportunity to fight with a level playing field within that team. Because I know the pressure from the Verstappens, his dad as well, on Red Bull will be intense.”
-Damon Hil
Two laps before the end of the race, Sergio Perez still had the fastest lap of the race and was told by his engineers to keep his pace, assuming Max Verstappen was told the same. It came as an uncomfortable surprise that it was his own teammate that took the championship point away from him.
"Whatever happens, the Verstappens won't be taking it lying down. You saw after Saudi Arabia that Max was... I would say sulking is not too strong a word. He looked very unhappy about the way things went. They don't like coming second."
- Damon hill
The question remains whether Sergio Perez has equal opportunities in Red Bull or if the favouritism towards Max Verstappen will persevere.
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