Both Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen have claimed to have made peace following the Brazilian Grand Prix incident.
Ralf Schumacher thinks that Max Verstappen will use his position at Red Bull to encourage the team to release Sergio Perez after the next season and bring back Daniel Ricciardo. Last weekend, Christian Horner found himself having to patch things up between his two drivers in the garage.
The Brazilian Grand Prix’s last lap saw Verstappen defy team orders to hand Perez his position before crossing the finish line. Upon hearing the order, Max Verstappen responded angrily over team radio as he outlined his stance and commanded Red Bull to never request his assistance again.
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This caused Perez to be enraged, saying it revealed “who he really is,” and Red Bull called a team meeting to attempt to resolve the matter. Last season, in Abu Dhabi, when Max Verstappen challenged Lewis Hamilton for the 2021 world championship, the Mexican’s role was very important in achieving the win.
However, since then, both drivers have claimed that they have moved past the conflict from last weekend in preparation for the season finale. Daniel Ricciardo’s final fate in Formula 1 is still a hot topic in Abu Dhabi, and there are speculations that he may be returning to Red Bull as a backup driver for the upcoming season.
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Ralf Schumacher also thinks Verstappen would use it as a chance to convince the Australian to take Perez’s driver number 2 spot for the 2024 season. He disclosed to motorsport-total that: “He’s not 100 percent sure that Perez will still be his teammate next year.”
He added: “I think Ricciardo has a good chance. It must be behind the scenes very, very aggressive and I think Max wants a new combination.”
“Max is the spearhead of Red Bull. The whole future is laid out for him until 2028. In the end, he pulls the coals out of the fire, brings the victories home.
“Accordingly, I could imagine that because of his contract, he will also win them has the opportunity to have a say in who drives next to him. And I think he prefers Ricciardo there.”
After a dismal season driving alongside Lando Norris as his teammate, Daniel Ricciardo was fired by McLaren. He was initially touted to potentially join a team at the back of the grid, but he later said he’d prefer a year off before looking to return in 2024.
