(L to R): Sergio Perez, Max Verstappen, Red Bull, Monaco, 2022

Verstappen insists fighting for title won’t change relationship with Perez

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In the round-up: Max Verstappen insists that his relationship with team mate Sergio Perez will not change if they compete for this year’s world championship

In brief

Verstappen insists fighting for title won’t change relationship with Perez

Max Verstappen insists that his relationship with team mate Sergio Perez will not change if they compete for this year’s world championship.

Perez won his first race of the season last weekend in Monaco to move within 15 points of the championship leader. Verstappen says he considers Perez a genuine championship rival, but insists that his relationship with Perez will not be affected.

“Why would that change?,” says Verstappen. “We work really well as a team.

“We always try to optimise the car and work for the team and we can accept when somebody does a good job or does a better job and I think that’s very important because that’s how you are respectful to each other and yeah, may the best man win at the end, right? We always, of course, try to do the best we can on the track but we also respect each other a lot and try to score the most possible points every single weekend for the team.”

McLaren targetting “at least fourth” in constructors’ championship

McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl says McLaren are aiming for “at least P4” in the constructors’ championship in 2022.

McLaren currently sit fourth in the constructors’ championship, 75 points behind Mercedes but 18 points ahead of Alfa Romeo. Lando Norris has scored 48 of McLaren’s tally, with Daniel Ricciardo contributing just 11 to that total.

“Our target is clear,” says Seidl. “We want to fight for at least P4 in the constructors’ championship. I think we have everything in the team together with Lando and Daniel to do that.

“We know that the competition will not stand still, so we need to make sure we keep developing this car as well, which we’ve been doing. Obviously it’s encouraging, you can see the pace we had both in Barcelona and the challenging conditions for us, but also especially [in Monaco] and hopefully it continues like that on different tracks with different characteristics.”

Mini wins second FREC race at Paul Ricard as Beganovic finishes second

Gabriele Mini won the second Formula Regional European Championship (FREC) race of the weekend as Ferrari academy driver Dino Beganovic consolidated his already vast championship lead by finishing second.

The ART driver held off Beganovic after a late Safety Car restart to win by just under three tenths of a second from the Prema, with Van Amersfoort’s Kas Haverkort completing the podium.

Beganovic’s lead in the championship now sits a 63 points with 12 races remaining having extended his streak of finishing in the top two in all eight opening races.

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Comment of the day

This weekend’s Caption Competition winner is @red-andy!:

The only time at the Monaco GP that wet rubber was used at the swimming pool without needing a red flag.
Red Andy

Thanks to everyone who came up with caption idea this week and a special mention to Robbie, Stephen Crowsen, Sonny Crockett and Derek Edwards who all came up with particularly good captions.

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to Paradoxos, Jenny O’G and Saurabh!

Author information

Will Wood
Will has been a RaceFans contributor since 2012 during which time he has covered F1 test sessions, launch events and interviewed drivers. He mainly...

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18 comments on “Verstappen insists fighting for title won’t change relationship with Perez”

  1. Profile Photo

    @HoHum (@hohum)
    6th June 2022, 0:24

    @willwood, OOPS! Seidl and Verstappen using identical words about team harmony.

    1. Profile Photo

      EffWunFan (@cairnsfella)
      6th June 2022, 4:28

      @hohum, allI can say to that is…

      Yeah, absolutely. Why would that change? We work really well as a team. We always try to optimise the car and work for the team and we can accept when somebody does a good job or does a better job and I think that’s very important because that’s how you are respectful to each other and yeah, may the best man win at the end, right? We always, of course, trying to do the best we can on the track but we also respect each other a lot and try to score the most possible points every single weekend for the team.

    2. jff
      6th June 2022, 7:01

      I could clearly hear a slightly different accent when I read it.

    3. Profile Photo

      Shimks (@shimks)
      6th June 2022, 10:28

      Yes, exactly. I don’t think anyone believes that Verstappen is not the team’s clear favourite. Perez is just being kept sweet. And he almost certainly knows it. He’s not stupid.

  2. Profile Photo

    EffWunFan (@cairnsfella)
    6th June 2022, 4:48

    Well done the the Caption Comp winner.

    Some good entries (frustratingly occurring when I had what I consider to be my best attempt yet) Must confess to being disappointed to not get an honourable mention which I have achieved previously with far less robust entries. Ahh well. I’m not forced to enter am I.

  3. Profile Photo

    GeeMac (@geemac)
    6th June 2022, 5:28

    I say it every year, but the Isle of Man TT is really insane. In my view it is the last true display of bravery in the world of motorsport. I would have a go at anything if I was given the chance, but the TT is something that I would never, ever, ever try. The riders are all other worldly. Huge respect for anyone who races in it.

    1. FlyingLobster27
      6th June 2022, 6:25

      Two dead, and we’re only half-way.
      The IoM TT is the only motorsport event I can think of which has the same fatality rate as it had in the 60s and 70s. Even rally-raid has made at least some marked improvements, but the TT, nothing. As much as I “get it”, it’s a choice and all that, and as impressive as the riders are, I find that hard to respect.

      1. Jonathan Parkin
        6th June 2022, 10:48

        I have to agree, and I did go to the Isle of Man one year and we did drive the circuit – at the legal speed limit obviously.

        I get that It’s a traditional event and what not but many F1 circuits are considered traditional venues and they don’t have the same fatality rate as the TT circuit

      2. Peter707
        6th June 2022, 10:52

        Indeed. Bravery is when you risk your life for the sakes of a greater good, such as your family or other people’s life. The TT is just insanity.

    2. Profile Photo

      marcusbreese (@marcusbreese)
      6th June 2022, 10:55

      Yeah, the Mountain Circuit really reminds me of the old Nordschleife in it’s picturesque but deadly nature.

    3. Profile Photo

      bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
      6th June 2022, 12:05

      @geemac Yeah, I grew up with many Manx neighbours who spoke so fondly of it and I often thought I could just hop on a ferry and go see it for myself. They’d say you don’t need a ticket, but you do need to stand behind a wall.

      It’s a bit conflicting, the drivers choose to do it, and those onboards on Youtube look incredible. But I think people should draw the line between ‘human endeavour’ and ‘sport’. It is bonkers and so many fatalities just ruins it for me.

      F1 has had a similar problem in the middle of the 20th century, and now the Nordschleife has gone, and nose cone crash testing has come in, and I’m certain F1 is better for it.

      1. Profile Photo

        bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
        6th June 2022, 12:09

        I think my point is….. just because someone is willing to do it, is not a good reason to allow them to do it.

        1. Profile Photo

          @HoHum (@hohum)
          6th June 2022, 13:09

          To all; “Yeah, but it’s not going to happen to me”

        2. Bippy
          6th June 2022, 20:07

          It’s called choice. Where do you draw the line?

  4. Profile Photo

    Red Pill (@redpill)
    6th June 2022, 6:07

    “the Isle of Man TT is really insane”

    @geemac If you think that’s insane, go YouTube ” Superkart Crazy street racing! Isle of Man ” (2:40 mins)

    Not sure what gets your heart pumping more in motor racing when watching the onboard.

    I don’t know which is crazier, Superkarts hitting 250kph, inches from the curbs on village streets in drizzle? But you are correct, the TT takes a special human and one of the last true displays of motor racing and almost anything else for that matter.

  5. Profile Photo

    Jere (@jerejj)
    6th June 2022, 9:18

    I doubt Perez can provide a championship challenge until the end, but certainly zero impact on their relationship.

    & I’m sure Mclaren will eventually finish 4th in the WCC.

    The opening tweet: Just another ‘celebrating too early’ moment in motorsport history.

    Ott Tänak getting his first rally win for a little while (since last year’s Arctic Rally) was good for self-confidence & generally, even if he probably won’t provide a championship challenge anymore.

    Who would let a ball roll around on a live track or road? Stupidity.

    Nice caption.

  6. Profile Photo

    Michael (@freelittlebirds)
    6th June 2022, 15:48

    Baku! Let’s go, Max! Baku! We want a repeat for Ricciardo vs Verstappen at Baku followed by a UFC fight between Horner and Marko.

  7. Mayrton
    7th June 2022, 12:55

    Has Max used the word ‘insist’ anywhere in his narrative?

Comments are closed.