F1 NEWS: SERGIO PEREZ BREAKS SILENCE ON MAX VERSTAPPEN’S "BAD SIDE" IN NEW INTERVIEW
Now with Cadillac, Sergio Perez reveals the truth about Max Verstappen’s character and their explosive 2022 Brazil fallout.
Sergio Perez has opened up about what it’s really like to race alongside Max Verstappen. According to him, Verstappen isn’t just fast—he’s a whole different animal when he’s behind the wheel. The “bad” sides of Max? Perez says they’re just part of the package.
After getting dropped by Red Bull at the end of 2024 and sitting out a season, Perez is now back in F1 with Cadillac. He knows Verstappen as well as anyone, having spent four years as his teammate at Red Bull. He saw the good and the bad, both on and off the track.
Perez points out that Verstappen can be tough to deal with when things don’t go his way. “Mentally, he’s super strong. He’s got crazy self-belief and so much talent. He’s completely focused on racing, on being the best. He’s a powerhouse in the team and pushes everyone hard,” Perez said on the Cracks Podcast. “He’s a great leader. But honestly, his biggest flaw is his character—when things turn against him, he really struggles.”
He brought up Verstappen’s run-in with George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix as an example. “He blocks; he has that side to him—honestly, if he didn’t, he wouldn’t be Max,” Perez said.
During their time together, Perez sometimes pushed a little too hard—even for a number two driver. And that stirred up some tension. At Red Bull, Verstappen’s team is Verstappen’s team. When Perez dared to challenge him, or worse, beat him, it ruffled feathers.
Things really boiled over in 2022. After an incident in Monaco qualifying, which set up Perez for victory, Verstappen seemed frustrated. Later that year in Brazil, with Perez fighting for second in the championship, Verstappen refused to give up sixth place—even though he’d already secured the title. After the race, when the team questioned him, Verstappen snapped, “I told you already last summer; you guys don’t ask that again to me. Are we clear about that?”
The next season started with Perez believing he could take the fight to Verstappen. But after splitting the first four races, Verstappen shut the door. In Miami, Verstappen started ninth and still won, even though Perez began from pole. That race changed everything. Verstappen went on to win the next nine races in a row and 16 of the last 17. It was sheer domination.
Looking back at the drama in Brazil, Perez gets why fans were upset Verstappen wouldn’t help him. “People complained he didn’t let me pass, that he didn’t return the favour after all I’d done for him,” Perez said. “But honestly, to be world champion, you need that killer instinct—to want to win everything.”
“There’s just something about Max,” Perez continued. “He’s a great guy, but once he’s in the car, he’s different. He transforms. And he was holding onto something he never mentioned. We thought we’d dealt with all our issues that year and talked them out. The whole team thought it was behind us. So when he brought it up in Brazil, we were all surprised.”
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
