Sergio Pérez has denied the accusation that he intentionally crashed in Formula 1 qualifying in Monaco. But his appearance before the media on Thursday raises certain doubts.
“Everyone makes mistakes in Monaco. All the information is there, everyone can look at it,” he says. “I almost crashed at Turn 1. Everyone makes mistakes in Monaco qualifying. It’s not like it was intentional.”
The Red Bull driver counters the suspicion that Max Verstappen’s refused team order at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix could have been a late tit-for-tat for Monaco. Apparently, Red Bull has imposed an “omerta” on itself as far as the allegations are concerned and prefers to let them stand instead of denying them.
Pérez was literally cross-examined by some journalists on Thursday ahead of the 2022 Formula 1 season finale in Abu Dhabi, during which he made a visible effort to stick to his team’s previously agreed language regime. However, he did not appear particularly determined and convincing for long stretches. And he hid his eyes behind dark sunglasses.
When asked if Verstappen thought Monaco could have been on purpose, he replies: “We discussed internally what happened in Sao Paulo. We agreed that it should remain internal in the interest of the team. It is best not to speculate. That way we can look forward and be the team we’ve always been, which is united and strong. That’s the most important thing.”
The big question: Has Pérez admitted it internally?
Another journalist confronts Pérez directly with the conspiracy theory that is floating around. According to this, after Monaco there should have been an internal team investigation into his Q3 crash, and after this investigation, it is said that Pérez even openly admitted to team boss Christian Horner and Helmut Marko that his crash was intentional.
Pérez tries to refute the accusation in the question, but without really denying it: “It’s just speculation from the media. People create rumours. As I said: We all know what’s going on in the team. And we want to keep everything in the team.”
At least now the writing guild is listening. So ask again: rumors may or may not be true. He didn’t answer that. Only now, pushed against the wall by the question, does Pérez make it clear: “This rumor is false.”
Why isn’t Red Bull fighting back against alleged damage to their reputation?
If Pérez’s crash was not intentional, one would actually assume that both he and Red Bull would vigorously counter such claims, including in public. Many are surprised that the corresponding media reports are not directly questioned, but the answers on the subject are very evasive.
Pérez tries to explain this behavior: “It’s part of the sport. People like to speculate. That was so many races ago that it’s totally irrelevant to me. I don’t feel like I have to defend myself against it in public . I have already given the facts about what happened in Monaco.”
“I’m thinking about this weekend, I’m thinking the team is in a good mood. It’s been a fantastic season, a great year for Red Bull. I don’t want that to overshadow the joy for the guys in my team. Max and me We have a responsibility to keep the team united.”
Next question: How long was it clear that Verstappen had the idea that he could have crashed in Monaco on purpose? Pérez replies evasively: “As I said: whether it’s about Monaco or something else, he has to tell you. I don’t know how long it’s been like this.”
Pérez: Verstappen never asked me about it
The journalists continue to ignore the fact that Pérez doesn’t want to know anything about the whole affair and ask when Verstappen first spoke to him personally about “Monacogate”. Pérez replies: “We haven’t talked about it.”
And not even after the race in Brazil. The latest theories go like this: Verstappen is said not to have had the suspicion immediately after Monaco that something could have been wrong with his teammate’s Q3 lap. The topic only came up in the course of the heated situation after Sao Paulo.
Pérez denies: “No. We talked about what happened in Brazil. We went through all the scenarios, all the mistakes we made as a team because we didn’t prepare well enough for the race. And so on. ” So the reasons for Verstappen’s behavior weren’t even discussed? “Correct,” says Pérez.
That’s how Pérez explains the ominous gas shock… not
But what remains in the room is a strange impression when you take a closer look at Perez’s Q3 lap. His gas burst just before the spin looks as if he really wants to force his car into a slide phase. Alleged telemetry printouts are even buzzing around the Internet, which are said to incriminate him.
Pérez defends himself against it, without specifically addressing the crash in the porter curve and the allegation of the gas burst: “I’m going for the lap time. You can look at the lap and then you can see that I almost crashed in the first corner .”
“I’m giving it my all, it’s the last lap in Q3. People make mistakes. That’s all. You can clearly see that I was playing with the gas pedal from Turn 1 because I was always losing lap times there. You can see that at Turn 1. I almost lost it there.
Pérez apologizes for radio message in Sao Paulo
Be that as it may: the two Red Bull pilots are not yet following each other again on Instagram, which some take as an indication that the mood is not yet as intact as it is trying to convey to the outside world. But Pérez also denies that: “We’re both adults. We can put that behind us and look ahead.”
On the pit radio in Brazil, Pérez had railed against Verstappen: “He shows who he really is.” And also in some TV interviews, especially in the Spanish-speaking ones, he didn’t leave a good hair on his teammate. Now he is asked if he withdraws his radio message and apologizes for it. Pérez replies, “Yes.”
“Formula 1 is a very emotional sport. A sport in which everything is broadcast live. That only exists in Formula 1. There are a lot of emotions involved,” he says. “I regret a lot of what I said after the race. Max and I have the same relationship as before. Both of us and everyone in the team are ready to move forward.”
“We were all in a difficult situation: Max, the team, me. I think we could have handled the situation better. We will learn from it and do better in the future. That’s the way it should be. Every team in the paddock learns. “
Why wasn’t possible team orders discussed?
It is also clear: Verstappen should support him in Abu Dhabi, as was discussed behind closed doors, so that Pérez can still get second place in the drivers’ championship. He is asked whether he feels he can now rely on Verstappen. “Yes.” He was “pretty sure that I can rely on him and my team”.
Especially since it is now clear that a team order could be a possible scenario. Indeed, if what Red Bull claims is to be believed, the possibility of Verstappen letting Pérez through was not discussed ahead of the Sao Paulo race. However, this contradicts Verstappen’s pit radio, according to which he had previously told the team that he would not make room.
It would have been obvious to discuss the team order scenario before Brazil, a journalist wonders. Many industry experts find it difficult to believe that a professional team like Red Bull has not even considered such a possibility. But Pérez insists: “No, we don’t.”
Then a journalist gives him a penalty to distract from all the allegations. Maybe none of this had anything to do with Monaco, but simply with the fact that a possible team order was not discussed before the race and Verstappen was therefore overwhelmed by the pit radio.
Pérez, before that always very meek in his answers, immediately jumps to the question: “Yes. Yes, yes. That’s part of the discussions that we have. We’ll learn from it and look forward. It’s a very public sport. So it’s important to keep things like that within the team.”