The Brazilian Grand Prix was disappointing enough for Red Bull to begin with – then their two drivers fell out over a team orders dispute.
Sergio Perez was deeply unimpressed at his team mate’s refusal to let him by into sixth place at the end of the race. Perez is seeking to claim second in the championship and secure the first one-two in the points standings for the team in its history.
His cause wasn’t helped when Max Verstappen ignored a series of calls to let Perez by over the final laps. Verstappen had been waved past his team mate in an effort to overtake Fernando Alonso, but was unable to pass the Alpine before the end of the race.
Verstappen was no happier with the situation than his team mate, telling his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase he had previously explained why he was unwilling to make way for his team mate on-track. However as the team’s radio messages showed, Perez had been given assurances Verstappen would relinquish the position.
Transcript: Verstappen and Perez’s radio fall-out in Brazil
The situation would not have arisen had it not been for a late Safety Car triggered by Lando Norris’ retirement. Prior to that, on lap 51, Perez was sitting in fourth place, over 40 seconds ahead of ninth-placed Verstappen, who had been delayed by a collision with Lewis Hamilton earlier in the race.
Norris’ retirement initially triggered a Virtual Safety Car period. Perez gained a position from this, as second-placed Carlos Sainz Jnr took the opportunity to pit, and rejoined the track behind the Red Bull on fresh tyres.
| Lap: 52/71 | |||
| Verstappen’s radio messages | Perez’s radio messages | ||
| Lambiase | Okay Max so Norris has stopped between turn 10 and 11. He’s still on-track. He’s on the right-hand side. He’s getting out of the car whilst you were passing him. Virtual Safety Car deployed. VSC deployed. Dash positive. | Bird | Yellow exit turn 10, yellows on the exit of turn 10. Norris has stopped on the right-hand side of the track. |
| Lap: 53/71 | |||
| Lambiase | So Alonso, think he’s going to come out ahead of you, free to push at this point, you need to follow it your delta. Yeah, Alonso ahead, dash positive. Alonso on new soft. | Bird | Virtual Safety deployed. Recharge on. Cancel handbrake, cancel handbrake. |
| Verstappen | So what position are we in? | Bird | Okay so Sainz will be pitting. Expect Sainz will come out just behind us. |
| Lambiase | P10. | Bird | So stay on your delta. Sainz has pitted. You’re staying out. |
| Perez | Copy. Who is behind? | ||
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