Monaco GP - May 29, 2022 @ 3:00 PM

So, Jos Verstappen isn't exactly hiding his feelings here—he basically said he was pretty bummed out seeing Red Bull play those strategic games to give Sergio Perez the edge over Max in Monaco

🤣

darkmarlin16 said:So, Jos Verstappen isn't exactly hiding his feelings here—he basically said he was pretty bummed out seeing Red Bull play those strategic games to give Sergio Perez the edge over Max in Monaco

🤣

Seriously, you've gotta look past the clickbait headlines.

Jos makes some pretty heavy points, particularly regarding how Max's season is going. His main take? The car just isn't clicking with the way Max drives.

“Speaking as a dad, the race was a letdown. Seeing Max finish third was tough. It was obvious he had a brutal weekend. It all goes back to the car—it just hasn't developed the right traits for his specific style yet. Max is struggling way too much with front-end grip. And when you're in Monaco dealing with those tight, snappy corners, you desperately need a car that turns on a dime. This wasn't it.”

He also feels like the team should've backed Max more (even if he admits he's biased here).

“Red Bull pulled off a decent result, sure, but they didn't do nearly enough to push Max toward the front. Honestly, he only grabbed third because Ferrari messed up during Charles Leclerc's second pit stop. The championship leader, Max, didn't get the support he needed from the pit wall. The strategy ended up leaning heavily toward Checo instead. As a father, that was hard to watch; I wanted a better outcome for the championship leader.

“In reality, Pérez took the win thanks to that early pit stop. The team might try to call it a calculated risk, but they already knew from watching someone like Gasly that switching to intermediates was the move at that moment.

“I really wish they had prioritized Max, though I know I'm being biased. In my eyes, Max lost ten points here. With those two recent DNFs, we absolutely cannot afford to drop points. Let's not forget that Ferrari actually has the faster car right now, especially when it comes to qualifying.”

graniteharbor502 said:A gap of 37 thousandths is a massive difference in this sport. 🤦

Where on earth was I ever singing about Max Verstappen being the fastest in the Monaco qualifying? 🙄

Oh, "noticeably slower," sure...
If you look at the whole weekend compared to Perez, he was definitely slower...

FP1 -0.142 sec
FP2 -0.068 sec
FP3 -0.405 sec
Q1 -0.011 sec
Q2 +0.163
Q3 -0.037

On average, Max was noticeably slower than Perez over the entire GP weekend.
He only managed to beat him in Q2; everything else he was slower, and more importantly, he was slower when it actually mattered...

Where on earth did I say Max was the fastest in qualifying here in Monaco? 🙄

graniteharbor502 said:The session began behind the safety car at 16:05—there was an announcement during the broadcast—and, as we know, the decision regarding when the SC clears the track rests entirely with the race directors.

That occurred on lap 20. The reason that Williams didn't move is simply because Charles Leclerc was being remarkably sluggish in his attack. He was driving that lap like a complete amateur, if I may say so. Anyone with access to F1TV can verify that for themselves.

Both Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen switched to intermediates on the exact same lap. Max was faster during that initial entry lap by 1.7 seconds. We all know now that they really ought to have been on the hard tires. Even Carlos Sainz knew it. Honestly, who is to blame—the pit wall or Charles Leclerc—for the fact that they were left in the dark?

Not quite, though. Sergio Perez clocked a 1:32.1 during his first full lap on the intermediates on lap 17.

By the 21st lap, Max found himself stuck behind two backmarkers, whereas if one looks at the cumulative data, Charles Leclerc actually dealt with fewer backmarkers during that specific window. It seems to me that he simply drove worse, both when the track was clear and when he was navigating traffic.

Nine seconds? Where on earth did that number come from? When Charles Leclerc entered the pits, his lead over Max was only 7.6 seconds, and just one lap prior, when Sergio Perez pitted, the gap ahead of him was merely 8.2 seconds.
When racing under such chaotic circumstances, isn't it true that the smallest details become paramount? One must consider how effectively a driver manages their in-laps and out-laps; had Charles Leclerc executed those more precisely, he likely would have finished ahead of Max. Instead, Max secured the position once again, and quite frankly, he earned it through his own merit.

To clarify, Max wasn't actually slower in qualifying; rather, he was forced to abandon his fastest lap because Sergio Perez went off into the barrier.
As I have already demonstrated, Charles Leclerc was the one who lacked pace during those critical moments.

Ha, so now he’s leading because of your fault?🙄

Max wasn't slower than anyone in qualifying 🤔
He was definitely slower than Leclerc ☕
He was slower than Sainz ☕
He was slower than Perez ☕

So who *wasn't* he slower than, dear graniteharbor502? Latifi and Albon? Is that it?
Or was he only faster than the guys driving cars that were obviously much slower than his...

cosmicmoose2 said:So, I just read today that Red Bull extended Perez's contract through 2024. Combine that with the fact that he's only 15 points behind Max, and you could potentially see a massive internal battle brewing. If that happens, it’ll be wild to see if Perez actually follows team orders blindly or goes rogue...
I honestly get the feeling this is the year for Red Bull, but also for Ferrari to snag both the constructors' and drivers' titles. Mercedes took a hit with that little stumble, but there's zero chance they stay weak next season.
What am I getting at here? Basically, this might be the best shot Perez—and maybe (sadly) Leclerc and Sainz too—has ever had at becoming world champion. In a setup like this, the team shouldn't just push Perez aside to help Max unless the gap becomes huge.
And being only 15 points down after just 9 races? That is definitely not a situation where you just sit back and follow orders...

If Perez hadn't moved for Max in Barcelona—basically, if he hadn't played nice and followed those team orders—he’d only be one point behind Max right now (Max 118, Perez 117, Leclerc 116). But hey, then he wouldn't have that shiny new contract through 2024, would he?🙂

graniteharbor502 said:In the opening round at the start of Q3, Perez was faster than Max by 0.088 seconds in the first sector, but by the end of the lap, he was trailing by 0.037 seconds. Consequently, Max was faster through the remainder of the track and had to compensate for the deficit incurred in that first sector, which, as we observed, he successfully did.
What strikes me as particularly ironic in this entire narrative is the notion that Perez committed an error and was somehow rewarded for it. It is highly probable, based on all available indicators, that Max would have driven a faster lap than Perez regardless. Of course, one could argue that aliens might have descended from the heavens to abduct the Formula 1 drivers, but when one draws the final line, the most likely scenario is that Max would have finished ahead of Perez.

Did you even watch qualifying???
In what crazy universe could Max have been faster than anyone else during that second sector in Q3? 🙂

Once you figure that out, please, enlighten us...
There isn't a single theory—absolutely none—where that works.
Even if Perez hadn't crashed, or if Sainz hadn't slammed into him, Max still wouldn't have finished the lap faster.☕

It wouldn't have happened because a red flag was inevitable regardless of Perez, since Alonso hit the wall right before he did. 🙂

stormybadger8 said:If Perez hadn't moved for Max in Barcelona—basically, if he hadn't played nice and followed those team orders—he’d only be one point behind Max right now (Max 118, Perez 117, Leclerc 116). But hey, then he wouldn't have that shiny new contract through 2024, would he?🙂

Fine, whatever, but how many other drivers has Red Bull actually cycled through? Can they even afford to lose Perez? Seriously, who else are they even going to pick to replace him?

stormybadger8 said:Oh, "noticeably slower," sure...
If you look at the whole weekend compared to Perez, he was definitely slower...

FP1 -0.142 sec
FP2 -0.068 sec
FP3 -0.405 sec
Q1 -0.011 sec
Q2 +0.163
Q3 -0.037

On average, Max was noticeably slower than Perez over the entire GP weekend.
He only managed to beat him in Q2; everything else he was slower, and more importantly, he was slower when it actually mattered...

Where on earth did I say Max was the fastest in qualifying here in Monaco? 🙄

Max wasn't slower than anyone in qualifying 🤔
He was definitely slower than Leclerc ☕
He was slower than Sainz ☕
He was slower than Perez ☕

So who *wasn't* he slower than, dear graniteharbor502? Latifi and Albon? Is that it?
Or was he only faster than the guys driving cars that were obviously much slower than his...

Is it not truly fascinating how we have reached a point where the data from the practice sessions actually carries weight? One might wonder if we haven't drifted into an era where those initial laps on the track hold more significance than they once did. Does anyone else feel that the relevance of the practice sessions has shifted so fundamentally in recent times? 🤣
It didn’t feel like he was any slower during qualifying, really; if that unfortunate incident hadn't occurred, I truly believe he was on the verge of pulling ahead of Perez. When you look closely at the data, he actually clocked faster times in both the first and second sectors compared to Perez, wouldn't you agree?🙄

stormybadger8 said:Oh, "noticeably slower," sure...
If you look at the whole weekend compared to Perez, he was definitely slower...

FP1 -0.142 sec
FP2 -0.068 sec
FP3 -0.405 sec
Q1 -0.011 sec
Q2 +0.163
Q3 -0.037

On average, Max was noticeably slower than Perez over the entire GP weekend.
He only managed to beat him in Q2; everything else he was slower, and more importantly, he was slower when it actually mattered...

Where on earth did I say Max was the fastest in qualifying here in Monaco? 🙄

Max wasn't slower than anyone in qualifying 🤔
He was definitely slower than Leclerc ☕
He was slower than Sainz ☕
He was slower than Perez ☕

So who *wasn't* he slower than, dear graniteharbor502? Latifi and Albon? Is that it?
Or was he only faster than the guys driving cars that were obviously much slower than his...

You seem to be operating under the assumption that I ever actually claimed Verstappen was the fastest during qualifying. If you truly believe that is what I said, then all I ask is that you point out exactly where that statement was made. I have no interest in engaging in petty bickering or mindless whining.

stormybadger8 said:Did you even watch qualifying???
In what crazy universe could Max have been faster than anyone else during that second sector in Q3? 🙂

Once you figure that out, please, enlighten us...
There isn't a single theory—absolutely none—where that works.
Even if Perez hadn't crashed, or if Sainz hadn't slammed into him, Max still wouldn't have finished the lap faster.☕

It wouldn't have happened because a red flag was inevitable regardless of Perez, since Alonso hit the wall right before he did. 🙂

🤦
I feel as though you have begun to lose your way in this discussion. We are speaking specifically about the reality of whether they managed to pull off a full lap to the finish, which they simply did not. The results stand exactly as they are. This isn't some unprecedented occurrence either, as we have seen similar struggles before in Monaco.

graniteharbor502 said:Is it not truly fascinating how we have reached a point where the data from the practice sessions actually carries weight? One might wonder if we haven't drifted into an era where those initial laps on the track hold more significance than they once did. Does anyone else feel that the relevance of the practice sessions has shifted so fundamentally in recent times? 🤣
It didn’t feel like he was any slower during qualifying, really; if that unfortunate incident hadn't occurred, I truly believe he was on the verge of pulling ahead of Perez. When you look closely at the data, he actually clocked faster times in both the first and second sectors compared to Perez, wouldn't you agree?🙄

You seem to be operating under the assumption that I ever actually claimed Verstappen was the fastest during qualifying. If you truly believe that is what I said, then all I ask is that you point out exactly where that statement was made. I have no interest in engaging in petty bickering or mindless whining.

🤦
I feel as though you have begun to lose your way in this discussion. We are speaking specifically about the reality of whether they managed to pull off a full lap to the finish, which they simply did not. The results stand exactly as they are. This isn't some unprecedented occurrence either, as we have seen similar struggles before in Monaco.

Way more relevant than those fake "what if" scenarios that don't even exist. All that "if only this happened" nonsense is just noise.
Well, look at that. Some kind of miracle happened during practice—Perez and Max actually managed to pull off decent laps.
Unlike those imaginary circles and all that nonsense...

He wasn't even slower in qualifying; he was actually on track to beat Perez if things hadn't gone sideways. His first and second sectors were both faster than Perez's.🙄

You can talk all you want about his "legendary" first and second sectors. Honestly, we could just sit here and debate how he was faster in sector 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and even sector 6 too.
Nah, he didn't have a faster lap. Considering he hasn't managed to outpace Sergio Perez all weekend, it's a bit much to expect him to suddenly pull that off out of nowhere.

You’re claiming I said Max Verstappen was the fastest in qualifying. All you've got is to actually show me where I said that. I don't have time for the whining.

graniteharbor502 said:The session began behind the safety car at 16:05—there was an announcement during the broadcast—and, as we know, the decision regarding when the SC clears the track rests entirely with the race directors.

That occurred on lap 20. The reason that Williams didn't move is simply because Charles Leclerc was being remarkably sluggish in his attack. He was driving that lap like a complete amateur, if I may say so. Anyone with access to F1TV can verify that for themselves.

Both Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen switched to intermediates on the exact same lap. Max was faster during that initial entry lap by 1.7 seconds. We all know now that they really ought to have been on the hard tires. Even Carlos Sainz knew it. Honestly, who is to blame—the pit wall or Charles Leclerc—for the fact that they were left in the dark?

Not quite, though. Sergio Perez clocked a 1:32.1 during his first full lap on the intermediates on lap 17.

By the 21st lap, Max found himself stuck behind two backmarkers, whereas if one looks at the cumulative data, Charles Leclerc actually dealt with fewer backmarkers during that specific window. It seems to me that he simply drove worse, both when the track was clear and when he was navigating traffic.

Nine seconds? Where on earth did that number come from? When Charles Leclerc entered the pits, his lead over Max was only 7.6 seconds, and just one lap prior, when Sergio Perez pitted, the gap ahead of him was merely 8.2 seconds.
When racing under such chaotic circumstances, isn't it true that the smallest details become paramount? One must consider how effectively a driver manages their in-laps and out-laps; had Charles Leclerc executed those more precisely, he likely would have finished ahead of Max. Instead, Max secured the position once again, and quite frankly, he earned it through his own merit.

To clarify, Max wasn't actually slower in qualifying; rather, he was forced to abandon his fastest lap because Sergio Perez went off into the barrier.
As I have already demonstrated, Charles Leclerc was the one who lacked pace during those critical moments.

Ha, so now he’s leading because of your fault?🙄

Read what you're writing. If he was faster than Charles Leclerc, then it’s pretty damn obvious he was the fastest.

You're losing the plot. We're talking about whether they actually managed to pull off that final lap. They didn't. The results speak for themselves. And honestly? It’s not like this is the first time this happened in Monaco.

Oh sure, let's just dive straight into talking about aliens. That'd be great.

There was zero chance Max could have pulled off that second lap. It was a total wash because Perez, Sainz, and Alonso all went flying into each other.
So, apparently there were three different reasons for that red flag, not just one...

I feel like I read somewhere that Max was actually faster than Charles Leclerc during those critical moments.

Which specific moments are we talking about?

There is far too much nonsense to sift through here.

And it’s probably best to just skip over Jos Verstappen and his commentary altogether.

stormybadger8 said:Way more relevant than those fake "what if" scenarios that don't even exist. All that "if only this happened" nonsense is just noise.
Well, look at that. Some kind of miracle happened during practice—Perez and Max actually managed to pull off decent laps.
Unlike those imaginary circles and all that nonsense...

He wasn't even slower in qualifying; he was actually on track to beat Perez if things hadn't gone sideways. His first and second sectors were both faster than Perez's.🙄

You can talk all you want about his "legendary" first and second sectors. Honestly, we could just sit here and debate how he was faster in sector 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and even sector 6 too.
Nah, he didn't have a faster lap. Considering he hasn't managed to outpace Sergio Perez all weekend, it's a bit much to expect him to suddenly pull that off out of nowhere.

You’re claiming I said Max Verstappen was the fastest in qualifying. All you've got is to actually show me where I said that. I don't have time for the whining.

Read what you're writing. If he was faster than Charles Leclerc, then it’s pretty damn obvious he was the fastest.

You're losing the plot. We're talking about whether they actually managed to pull off that final lap. They didn't. The results speak for themselves. And honestly? It’s not like this is the first time this happened in Monaco.

Oh sure, let's just dive straight into talking about aliens. That'd be great.

There was zero chance Max could have pulled off that second lap. It was a total wash because Perez, Sainz, and Alonso all went flying into each other.
So, apparently there were three different reasons for that red flag, not just one...

mellowtiger83 said:I feel like I read somewhere that Max was actually faster than Charles Leclerc during those critical moments.

Which specific moments are we talking about?

There is far too much nonsense to sift through here.

And it’s probably best to just skip over Jos Verstappen and his commentary altogether.

Look, if you intend to debate this, please try reading carefully and with a bit of comprehension. I stated very clearly that during the decisive laps of the race, Max was faster than Charles Leclerc, which I am more than happy to substantiate with the following evidence:
Code:

That does not, in any conceivable universe, mean I claimed Max was the fastest overall in qualifying. It is an absolute fact that the red flag ruined Max's best attempt at qualifying. Yet, here you all are, stubbornly clinging to your positions despite lacking any coherent arguments whatsoever. 👎

cosmicmoose2 said:So, I just read today that Red Bull extended Perez's contract through 2024. Combine that with the fact that he's only 15 points behind Max, and you could potentially see a massive internal battle brewing. If that happens, it’ll be wild to see if Perez actually follows team orders blindly or goes rogue...
I honestly get the feeling this is the year for Red Bull, but also for Ferrari to snag both the constructors' and drivers' titles. Mercedes took a hit with that little stumble, but there's zero chance they stay weak next season.
What am I getting at here? Basically, this might be the best shot Perez—and maybe (sadly) Leclerc and Sainz too—has ever had at becoming world champion. In a setup like this, the team shouldn't just push Perez aside to help Max unless the gap becomes huge.
And being only 15 points down after just 9 races? That is definitely not a situation where you just sit back and follow orders...

At the end of the day, Sergio Perez just doesn't have the depth to go toe-to-toe with Max Verstappen over a full season. He's not going to be a legitimate threat for the WDC...
The level of dominance Max Verstappen established over the last few seasons—where he was basically playing a different sport than everyone else—was never actually realistic. It’s something we’ve never seen before in the history of the sport. At the end of the day, you have to account for track conditions; some circuits just favor certain drivers more than others...
Perez is a solid driver, but he’s up against the toughest competition out there. He knows it, and anyone with half a brain—including the folks over at Red Bull Racing—knows it too...
Even this season proves it. The fact that Perez is trailing by "only" 15 points despite having fewer DNFs than Max—and considering the team handed him the win in Monaco instead of giving it to Max—isn't an argument for them being equals. If anything, it proves the exact opposite...😁
So, sure, if his strategy relies on Max picking up five more DNFs when he hasn't had a single one, then fine—maybe he can still dream about the title. But I’m not convinced that’s exactly brilliant math. And what does playing second fiddle at Red Bull actually get him? Getting kicked out of the team (with or without a contract)? What, is Ferrari going to swoop in and hire him just to spite their own roster of jokers? Even that doesn't seem like a solid plan; as much as Ferrari might be fed up with their current drivers, they aren't about to poach a number two driver from a direct rival... 😁
Honestly, he’d be an idiot to do anything other than play ball. He should just take whatever wins the circumstances throw his way—like right now in Monaco—and call it a day. There’s zero chance he lands a seat as the number one driver at another top-tier team at his age, and he simply can't compete with Max Verstappen. Maybe, if he stays in line, Max decides to move on eventually, leaving Perez to inherit the number one spot along with a much weaker teammate. If Red Bull Racing stays strong, that’s his only shot at a title. If we're talking about any realistic scenario where Perez actually wins a championship, that's the only one...

stormybadger8 said:If Perez hadn't moved for Max in Barcelona—basically, if he hadn't played nice and followed those team orders—he’d only be one point behind Max right now (Max 118, Perez 117, Leclerc 116). But hey, then he wouldn't have that shiny new contract through 2024, would he?🙂

I usually avoid arguing with this troll, but I can't just let this nonsense sit there unrefuted. If someone doesn't set the record straight, people end up swallowing these ridiculous claims and passing them around like truth.
Look, at the moment those "team orders" were supposedly happening, Max was nearly a second and a half faster than Sergio Perez on track. It’s a safe bet he would have shaken him off quite easily, so all this math regarding point gaps is complete nonsense.
In reality, it wasn't even a classic team order situation. It was just about efficiency—avoiding wasting precious seconds on an internal battle that had a predictable outcome anyway, especially since they were on totally different strategies and running at completely different paces.
For anyone peddling this stupidity, the ultimate proof is this: Red Bull didn't pull Max into the pits for a fastest lap right after Sergio Perez, even though they easily could have. Everything about this is clear and logical.

It's about as logical as assuming Max Verstappen would have stayed ahead of Sergio Perez in Monaco qualifying if things had just stayed clean until the end. But hey, if some people want to act dense and argue over nothing, more power to them...

Lisa Thomas3 said:At the end of the day, Sergio Perez just doesn't have the depth to go toe-to-toe with Max Verstappen over a full season. He's not going to be a legitimate threat for the WDC...
The level of dominance Max Verstappen established over the last few seasons—where he was basically playing a different sport than everyone else—was never actually realistic. It’s something we’ve never seen before in the history of the sport. At the end of the day, you have to account for track conditions; some circuits just favor certain drivers more than others...
Perez is a solid driver, but he’s up against the toughest competition out there. He knows it, and anyone with half a brain—including the folks over at Red Bull Racing—knows it too...
Even this season proves it. The fact that Perez is trailing by "only" 15 points despite having fewer DNFs than Max—and considering the team handed him the win in Monaco instead of giving it to Max—isn't an argument for them being equals. If anything, it proves the exact opposite...😁
So, sure, if his strategy relies on Max picking up five more DNFs when he hasn't had a single one, then fine—maybe he can still dream about the title. But I’m not convinced that’s exactly brilliant math. And what does playing second fiddle at Red Bull actually get him? Getting kicked out of the team (with or without a contract)? What, is Ferrari going to swoop in and hire him just to spite their own roster of jokers? Even that doesn't seem like a solid plan; as much as Ferrari might be fed up with their current drivers, they aren't about to poach a number two driver from a direct rival... 😁
Honestly, he’d be an idiot to do anything other than play ball. He should just take whatever wins the circumstances throw his way—like right now in Monaco—and call it a day. There’s zero chance he lands a seat as the number one driver at another top-tier team at his age, and he simply can't compete with Max Verstappen. Maybe, if he stays in line, Max decides to move on eventually, leaving Perez to inherit the number one spot along with a much weaker teammate. If Red Bull Racing stays strong, that’s his only shot at a title. If we're talking about any realistic scenario where Perez actually wins a championship, that's the only one...

I usually avoid arguing with this troll, but I can't just let this nonsense sit there unrefuted. If someone doesn't set the record straight, people end up swallowing these ridiculous claims and passing them around like truth.
Look, at the moment those "team orders" were supposedly happening, Max was nearly a second and a half faster than Sergio Perez on track. It’s a safe bet he would have shaken him off quite easily, so all this math regarding point gaps is complete nonsense.
In reality, it wasn't even a classic team order situation. It was just about efficiency—avoiding wasting precious seconds on an internal battle that had a predictable outcome anyway, especially since they were on totally different strategies and running at completely different paces.
For anyone peddling this stupidity, the ultimate proof is this: Red Bull didn't pull Max into the pits for a fastest lap right after Sergio Perez, even though they easily could have. Everything about this is clear and logical.

It's about as logical as assuming Max Verstappen would have stayed ahead of Sergio Perez in Monaco qualifying if things had just stayed clean until the end. But hey, if some people want to act dense and argue over nothing, more power to them...

Just the exact opposite.
If you look at the data from almost every session leading up to that final lap in Q3, Sergio Perez was actually outpacing Max Verstappen in Monaco. And that’s even when they were running in nearly identical track conditions.
If you actually look at the data and use a little common sense, the logical conclusion is pretty simple: Perez should be ahead of Max Verstappen in qualifying at Monaco.

Lisa Thomas3 said:At the end of the day, Sergio Perez just doesn't have the depth to go toe-to-toe with Max Verstappen over a full season. He's not going to be a legitimate threat for the WDC...
The level of dominance Max Verstappen established over the last few seasons—where he was basically playing a different sport than everyone else—was never actually realistic. It’s something we’ve never seen before in the history of the sport. At the end of the day, you have to account for track conditions; some circuits just favor certain drivers more than others...
Perez is a solid driver, but he’s up against the toughest competition out there. He knows it, and anyone with half a brain—including the folks over at Red Bull Racing—knows it too...
Even this season proves it. The fact that Perez is trailing by "only" 15 points despite having fewer DNFs than Max—and considering the team handed him the win in Monaco instead of giving it to Max—isn't an argument for them being equals. If anything, it proves the exact opposite...😁
So, sure, if his strategy relies on Max picking up five more DNFs when he hasn't had a single one, then fine—maybe he can still dream about the title. But I’m not convinced that’s exactly brilliant math. And what does playing second fiddle at Red Bull actually get him? Getting kicked out of the team (with or without a contract)? What, is Ferrari going to swoop in and hire him just to spite their own roster of jokers? Even that doesn't seem like a solid plan; as much as Ferrari might be fed up with their current drivers, they aren't about to poach a number two driver from a direct rival... 😁
Honestly, he’d be an idiot to do anything other than play ball. He should just take whatever wins the circumstances throw his way—like right now in Monaco—and call it a day. There’s zero chance he lands a seat as the number one driver at another top-tier team at his age, and he simply can't compete with Max Verstappen. Maybe, if he stays in line, Max decides to move on eventually, leaving Perez to inherit the number one spot along with a much weaker teammate. If Red Bull Racing stays strong, that’s his only shot at a title. If we're talking about any realistic scenario where Perez actually wins a championship, that's the only one...

I usually avoid arguing with this troll, but I can't just let this nonsense sit there unrefuted. If someone doesn't set the record straight, people end up swallowing these ridiculous claims and passing them around like truth.
Look, at the moment those "team orders" were supposedly happening, Max was nearly a second and a half faster than Sergio Perez on track. It’s a safe bet he would have shaken him off quite easily, so all this math regarding point gaps is complete nonsense.
In reality, it wasn't even a classic team order situation. It was just about efficiency—avoiding wasting precious seconds on an internal battle that had a predictable outcome anyway, especially since they were on totally different strategies and running at completely different paces.
For anyone peddling this stupidity, the ultimate proof is this: Red Bull didn't pull Max into the pits for a fastest lap right after Sergio Perez, even though they easily could have. Everything about this is clear and logical.

It's about as logical as assuming Max Verstappen would have stayed ahead of Sergio Perez in Monaco qualifying if things had just stayed clean until the end. But hey, if some people want to act dense and argue over nothing, more power to them...

I'll say it again:
Sergio Perez; Just get Max out of my way so I can make this pass..
Bird; Yeah copy Checo.
Look, just focus on building that margin on the tire temps for the time being.
Brakes are running a little hot.
Look, let's just hold steady at two seconds for the moment. We aren't even running the same race as those guys.
Sergio Perez; Why won't you just let me through? My tires are practically brand new. I could make the pass in a heartbeat.
Bird; Build the margin on the tyre temps, build the margin on the brakes, we’ll get our chance.
Sergio Perez. We’re going to end up screwing over our own race at this rate, man.
Bird: We've got Leclerc slow in turn 10.
...

Lisa Thomas3 said:At the end of the day, Sergio Perez just doesn't have the depth to go toe-to-toe with Max Verstappen over a full season. He's not going to be a legitimate threat for the WDC...
The level of dominance Max Verstappen established over the last few seasons—where he was basically playing a different sport than everyone else—was never actually realistic. It’s something we’ve never seen before in the history of the sport. At the end of the day, you have to account for track conditions; some circuits just favor certain drivers more than others...
Perez is a solid driver, but he’s up against the toughest competition out there. He knows it, and anyone with half a brain—including the folks over at Red Bull Racing—knows it too...
Even this season proves it. The fact that Perez is trailing by "only" 15 points despite having fewer DNFs than Max—and considering the team handed him the win in Monaco instead of giving it to Max—isn't an argument for them being equals. If anything, it proves the exact opposite...😁
So, sure, if his strategy relies on Max picking up five more DNFs when he hasn't had a single one, then fine—maybe he can still dream about the title. But I’m not convinced that’s exactly brilliant math. And what does playing second fiddle at Red Bull actually get him? Getting kicked out of the team (with or without a contract)? What, is Ferrari going to swoop in and hire him just to spite their own roster of jokers? Even that doesn't seem like a solid plan; as much as Ferrari might be fed up with their current drivers, they aren't about to poach a number two driver from a direct rival... 😁
Honestly, he’d be an idiot to do anything other than play ball. He should just take whatever wins the circumstances throw his way—like right now in Monaco—and call it a day. There’s zero chance he lands a seat as the number one driver at another top-tier team at his age, and he simply can't compete with Max Verstappen. Maybe, if he stays in line, Max decides to move on eventually, leaving Perez to inherit the number one spot along with a much weaker teammate. If Red Bull Racing stays strong, that’s his only shot at a title. If we're talking about any realistic scenario where Perez actually wins a championship, that's the only one...

I usually avoid arguing with this troll, but I can't just let this nonsense sit there unrefuted. If someone doesn't set the record straight, people end up swallowing these ridiculous claims and passing them around like truth.
Look, at the moment those "team orders" were supposedly happening, Max was nearly a second and a half faster than Sergio Perez on track. It’s a safe bet he would have shaken him off quite easily, so all this math regarding point gaps is complete nonsense.
In reality, it wasn't even a classic team order situation. It was just about efficiency—avoiding wasting precious seconds on an internal battle that had a predictable outcome anyway, especially since they were on totally different strategies and running at completely different paces.
For anyone peddling this stupidity, the ultimate proof is this: Red Bull didn't pull Max into the pits for a fastest lap right after Sergio Perez, even though they easily could have. Everything about this is clear and logical.

It's about as logical as assuming Max Verstappen would have stayed ahead of Sergio Perez in Monaco qualifying if things had just stayed clean until the end. But hey, if some people want to act dense and argue over nothing, more power to them...

Max is an elite driver, obviously, but he used to have a car that was tailor-made specifically for his driving style. You can hear Jos Verstappen saying this year's car isn't 100% dialed in for Max, and you can actually see it out there. Maybe not as much during the races, but definitely in qualifying where he struggles to squeeze every bit of performance out of the machine. That's where Sergio Perez might actually find a gap to push him.
And don't act like team orders don't matter. Sure, we can say Max was way faster than Perez when Red Bull told him to let Max through, but who knows how the race would've played out if Max had been forced to yield to a faster Perez after getting stuck behind George Russell? Who knows what happens then... maybe Perez's strategy would have actually worked.
Or better yet, imagine if they gave Perez the exact same winning strategy they gave Max.

The bottom line is, I'm really not convinced Max is going to be so much better than his teammate this season that they both deserve identical treatment within Red Bull Racing...

I’m not exactly a Max supporter, but if we’re looking at any realistic scenario for the WDC, Sergio Perez is the only way to make it happen...
Max is clearly the superior driver regardless of how you look at it, especially since he’s the clear favorite of those two clowns over at Red Bull Racing...

darkmarlin16 said:So, Jos Verstappen isn't exactly hiding his feelings here—he basically said he was pretty bummed out seeing Red Bull play those strategic games to give Sergio Perez the edge over Max in Monaco

🤣

It’s just Jos and Helmut Marko firing off endless, senseless comments whenever Max doesn't take the win or when Red Bull fails to meet their impossible standards.div>

Linda Peterson43 said:I’m not exactly a Max supporter, but if we’re looking at any realistic scenario for the WDC, Sergio Perez is the only way to make it happen...
Max is clearly the superior driver regardless of how you look at it, especially since he’s the clear favorite of those two clowns over at Red Bull Racing...

Nobody was questioning that; honestly, nobody even thought to.

But even Mr. Unbeatable is showing some cracks (even if it seems impossible):
- Perez outpaced him in Monaco in terms of pure speed (not talking about the final race result here)
- They're already pulling out the team orders back in Barcelona

Linda Peterson43 said:I’m not exactly a Max supporter, but if we’re looking at any realistic scenario for the WDC, Sergio Perez is the only way to make it happen...
Max is clearly the superior driver regardless of how you look at it, especially since he’s the clear favorite of those two clowns over at Red Bull Racing...

Exactly. The only way Perez snatches that title is if Max's car breaks down at least three or four more times before the season ends while Perez stays perfectly reliable and builds up a massive 50-point lead.

Maybe I’m asking a completely uninformed question here—please, have mercy and take your time typing out the answer 🙂: what was actually the point behind Alonso's intentional slowing down? I just don't see the benefit, especially since he was essentially slowing down Ocon too (effectively preventing him from potentially pulling away from the pack behind by more than five seconds), right?

Thanks 🙂.

Nicholas King said:Maybe I’m asking a completely uninformed question here—please, have mercy and take your time typing out the answer 🙂: what was actually the point behind Alonso's intentional slowing down? I just don't see the benefit, especially since he was essentially slowing down Ocon too (effectively preventing him from potentially pulling away from the pack behind by more than five seconds), right?

Thanks 🙂.

The point is quite simple: Alonso knew his position was set in stone and that nobody could pass him. Therefore, he could comfortably drive two or three seconds slower per lap, which is exactly what he did. He did this because they weren't certain the tires would last until the end, so he was managing them, and then he simply transitioned back to a normal pace to finish.

As Alonso stated, the situation of those behind him "isn't my problem."

In short, Monaco allows a lead car to drive even five seconds slower while still utilizing strategic zones to accelerate out of corners and effectively making overtaking impossible. Passing in Monaco is an impossibility unless the leading car is having serious issues, and Alonso wasn't having issues—he was just saving rubber.

Tire management. Alonso was on the Mediums, while Lewis (back then) was running Hards. The call was to hold off on any pit stops until the end (Alonso), so he had to nurse those tires.
He claimed he felt perfectly comfortable in that position and basically said it wasn't his fault if he slowed Lewis down... adding that there was zero chance of being overtaken. Classy.
Ocon was just collateral damage.
Edit: late to the party