Sky F1 pundit reveals ‘furious’ Max Verstappen reaction after Sergio Perez fight

Sergio Pérez and Max Verstappen after the Sprint in Baku — Photo: © LAT Images

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Sky F1 pundit reveals ‘furious’ Verstappen reaction after Perez fight

Dutchman was beaten fair and square by his Red Bull team-mate

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Friday 22 December 2023 19:57

Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok has revealed how Max Verstappen told his father that he will not be beaten by Sergio Perez again in 2023 after being left outraged over a defeat.

The three-time world champion swept aside his team-mate in all aspects of the 2023 season, claiming 19 race victories on his way to a third consecutive world championship title.

However, the very start of the season didn't go to plan for Verstappen, and it looked as though Formula 1 could have a title battle on its hands between the two Red Bull drivers.

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Perez won two of the first four races of the season, including the Azerbaijan GP in which his label of 'king of the streets', in regards to his high performance at street circuits, was further backed up. Verstappen could only finish a close second behind his Red Bull team-mate.

Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen have been team-mates at Red Bull since the 2021 season

Max Verstappen cruised to his third consecutive world title in 2023

Sergio Perez's poor 2023 form led to suggestions that he could be on his way out at Red Bull

Furious Verstappen marches to title

From that moment onwards, a clear gulf was evident between the performances of both drivers, and Verstappen went on to win 17 of the last 18 races, with Carlos Sainz claiming the other one.

Chandhok believes it was the Azerbaijan GP that really made Verstappen's record-breaking season.

“I saw Max’s Dad Jos Verstappen in Qatar the evening after Max had won the championship, and we were chatting about the season and he said to me ‘Max was furious after Baku’, and when he came home he said to his Dad ‘I’m not going to get beaten by him ever again this season'," Chandhok told the Sky F1 podcast.

“He was absolutely livid and he said ‘he will not beat me again’. And low and behold he was right! It was pretty devastating.”

Red Bull Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Formula 1 Sergio Perez Nico Rosberg