Jose Verstappen claimed that the Red Bull did not help his son Max win the Monaco Grand Prix, instead favoring his teammate Sergio Perez, in a move he described as “disappointing”.
Perez claimed his first win of the season in Monaco, Verstappen third. The pair were split by Carlos Sange’s Ferrari.
Jos Verstappen, a former F1 driver himself, says the team “threw” 10 championship points for Max – the difference between first and third.
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Writing on his son’s website, Jose says Max, who started fourth, deserves more help from the team.
“The Red Bull has had a good result, but at the same time has had little effect in helping Max move forward,” he wrote.
“He is indebted to Ferrari for his mistake at that second stop by Charles Leclerc, who finished third.
“The championship leader, Max, was not helped in that sense by the chosen tactics. It turned out to be entirely in Checo’s favor. It was frustrating for me and I would have preferred to be different for the championship leader.
“I would have liked them to go to Max, but of course I’m not entirely intentional. I think 10 points from Max have been dropped here.”
What the Worstappen camp has overlooked is that the Red Bull had no choice but to stop at Pitt in Monaco.
If he had beaten Verstappen earlier, he would have appeared behind George Russell, compromising further in his race, where Perez, a few seconds ahead of Verstappen, was able to clear the Mercedes.
Verstappen is nine points ahead of Leclerc in the championship, with Perez still six points behind.
“Max’s third place was very disappointing,” he admitted. “We all saw that it was a difficult weekend for him.
“It starts with a car that doesn’t yet have its driving style. Max’s front axle has very little grip, and especially in Monaco, with all those small angles, you need a car that will turn very fast. It was hard.”
Worstapen’s frustration comes at an exciting time for the Red Bull, who have confirmed a new two-year deal for Perez.
“He has repeatedly proved himself to be a great team player, but as his level of comfort has increased he has become a real force to be reckoned with at the sharp end of the grid,” said team boss Christian Horner.
“For us, it was a no-brainer to capture his speed, racecraft and experience, and we’re glad Checo will continue to race for the team until 2024.”
Just a week before Perez was asked to bypass Verstappen during the Spanish Grand Prix, the Mexicans called the move “unfair.”
Now with a new, long-term deal in his back pocket, the worst possible outcome for a resurgent Perez Verstappen, who has been a Red Bull rival since the departure of Daniel Ricciardo in late 2018.
The world champion is expected to have the momentum to surpass Perez in one season, but any friction between the pair could open the door for Ferrari to steal the title.
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