[imagesource: Wikimedia Commons]

Max Verstappen is this year’s world champion.

Unlike last year, he didn’t claim the title in controversial circumstances on the final corner and has spent the entire season walloping his competition.

You might think, then, that he would be cool with helping fellow Red Bull driver Sergio Perez claim second place in the driver championship.

At last Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix in São Paulo, Verstappen disobeyed Red Bull’s instructions to give up a position to Perez so that the latter could score extra points and edge ahead in his battle with Charles Leclerc for runner-up.

Verstappen said he did so because of a so-far unspecified incident between the pair earlier in the season and now he’s throwing his toys due to the criticism he is facing.

Over to Sky Sports:

Verstappen called the media’s portrayal “disgusting” and claimed his family had also been “attacked” with “unacceptable” comments.

Verstappen, whose press conference followed a statement by Red Bull that admitted their mistakes and also condemned abuse, said of the incident: “I already explained [my feelings] in Mexico and the team understood and agreed.”

Verstappen then added: “After that race, I looked very bad in the media but they also didn’t have the clear picture… but to immediately put me down is pretty ridiculous to be honest. Because they don’t know how I work within the team and what the team appreciates about me, so all the things I have read are pretty disgusting.”

Obviously going after Verstappen’s family is not on and the abuse that people hurl on social media without a second thought is something I will never understand.

But when your team orders you to do something (your team which pays your massive salary) to help your fellow driver, who has helped Verstappen significantly on multiple occasions in the past, you either listen or cop the criticism that will inevitably follow.

Here’s the moment in question if you haven’t yet seen it:

This is the moment I lost respect for #MaxVerstappen and gained even more for #SergioPerez. Verstappen would not be World Champion without Checo, that’s a fact.

I think most #F1 fans feel bad for Perez today. Red Bull better figure out how to keep him happy, too. pic.twitter.com/37YkQHPTO5

— Ryan Pinesworth™️ (@RyanPinesworth) November 13, 2022

That’s Perez weighing in with “it shows who he really is” in case you were wondering.

Despite being said in the heat of the moment, a comment like that doesn’t come out of nowhere.

Perez says discussions have been held internally and “we’re ready to move on as a team”. Can we say the same about Verstappen’s mother? Get a load of this via Jalopnik:

…after the race concluded, a woman named Sophie Kumpen allegedly accused Pérez of cheating on his wife in the aftermath of the Monaco Grand Prix. Kumpen — if you don’t recognize the name — is the mother of Max Verstappen.

In an Instagram post regarding the drama in Monaco, Kumpen allegedly commented, “and then in the evening cheating on his wife,” followed by a thinking emoji. That alleged comment was quickly deleted, but not before folks managed to screenshot it into permanent existence.

In the wake of the Monaco Grand Prix, Perez was seen dancing with and kissing a woman who was not his wife.

Sophie hasn’t forgotten.

@redbullracing You need to do something about it with the statements of the Verstappen family, you are not only letting the team and fans down, they are bullying Checo Perez, I think this is going too far, it is disrespectful towards Sergio and his family. pic.twitter.com/YzX1nBvcP7

— * (@ferniieboxbox) November 14, 2022

Nothing to see here, folks.

All is definitely well at team Red Bull.

[sources:sky&jalopnik]