Simmering ‘friction’ between Verstappen and Perez threatens Red Bull reign

Red Bull may be currently dominating the Formula 1 scene, one commentator however believes tensions could reach boiling point.

BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN – MARCH 05: Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Second placed Sergio Perez of Mexico and Oracle Red Bull Racing attend the press conference after the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on March 05, 2023 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

Tensions at Red Bull between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez could boil over in 2023.

The reigning constructors’ champions have started the season in perfect fashion, achieving two straight one-two finishes in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

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But it was after the race in Saudi Arabia when the tensions that arose throughout the 2022 season were brought back to the surface.

Verstappen wasn’t happy about finishing second, while Perez was fuming with his own team with the communication that was being given to him during the latter stages of the race as Verstappen pinched the fastest lap on the final lap of the race.

Formula 1 commentator David Croft says the tension between the two could come to a head throughout the season.

“I am not sure everything is how (Red Bull Team Principal) Christian Horner would like it and how the team would like it for a smooth domination,” Croft said on the Sky Sports F1 podcast.

“They are dominating Formula 1 on the track but they came very close to not having that one-two in Bahrain and had issues (in the race in Saudi Arabia).

“In the cooldown room after the race, there was still friction between the two drivers. Checo (Perez) was not a happy man at being asked to do target lap times that were slower than his teammate.

“Perez is in the last year of his contract and if there are no signs of another deal coming, what’s in it for Sergio to help his teammate in the way Red Bull would like? I think there are a few banana skins down the road.

“As for Max’s dad, all is clearly now well in Jos Verstappen’s mind when his son finishes and leads the world championship, yet he can barely break a smile!”

This is fine. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton labelled the Red Bull the fastest car he’d ever seen, but Croft says despite their current dominance they’ll fall back to the field.

After being found to have gone over the cost cap, Red Bull were hit with a reduction to their wind tunnel time.

While calls have been made the team will romp to victory all season long, it’s the wind tunnel reduction that’ll hurt them in the long run.

“It is a big ask to win every single race. They won’t [do it] The other thing, of course, is that as the season goes on they get less wind tunnel time than certainly Aston Martin,” Croft said.

“The fact we’ve got an Aston Martin-Red Bull battle at the moment is brilliant because Aston Martin get 100 per cent of the time because they finished seventh in the Constructors’ Championship last year.

“Red Bull get 70 per cent of the time, but because they were naughty boys and girls and overspent on the cost cap, they only get 63 per cent. That equates to about 120 wind tunnel runs in the course of an eight-week period.”

Let’s just win them all. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

After his win in Saudi Arabia, Perez was caught seemingly censoring his Formula 1 title aspirations.

Perez posted to Twitter: “It was tougher than I thought, but in the end I’m happy to get my fifth victory in F1. Very happy with the result of the team. We are going to keep pushing very hard, I want to be champion”.

However, the Mexican driver quickly deleted the post, uploading the same tweet without the line: “I want to be champion”.

Having won the recent Bahrain Grand Prix, Verstappen currently sits first on the drivers’ standings with 44 points, narrowly ahead of Perez with 43.

After two races, the Red Bull duo are comfortably ahead of their nearest rival — Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso on 30 points.

The F1 season resumes next month with the Australian Grand Prix on April 2.