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Perez, Verstappen, Red Bull, Monaco, 2022

Red Bull equal F1 title fight claim quashed by former F1 star

Perez, Verstappen, Red Bull, Monaco, 2022 — Photo: © LAT Images

Red Bull equal F1 title fight claim quashed by former F1 star

Will Sergio Perez really be given a chance?

Former F1 driver Romain Grosjean has dismissed any notion of Sergio Perez being allowed to challenge Max Verstappen for the drivers' championship.

The Mexican has been in impressive form so far this season, winning the Monaco Grand Prix and pushing his team-mate in both qualifying and races.

Perez's title aspirations were dealt a bitter blow in Canada, however, where he retired with a suspected gearbox failure that has cast him 46 points adrift of Verstappen, although he remains the reigning champion's nearest challenger.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has previously insisted Verstappen and Perez will be given equal status in the hunt for the title, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc lurking in third.

But asked if he believed Red Bull will have given both drivers the green light to fight for the championship, Grosjean told GPFans' Dutch sister site: "No, Max is the number one and Sergio is number two.

"That is the way Red Bull has always worked and all the radio communications you get in the race, even in Baku, the message to Perez was 'no fighting'.

"I mean, he was leading the race, why wouldn't he fight to keep the lead?

"It is very clear at Red Bull and to be fair, Max has done such an incredible job for the team, that it is kind of normal that he has the priority."

On whether there would be any repeat messages such as the Baku instruction through the rest of the season, Grosjean replied: "Yeah, probably."

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