Max Verstappen may regret his refusal of team orders to deny Sergio Perez in the future, according to Sky Sports pundit Karun Chandhok.
The Dutchman caused a stir at the end of the Brazilian Grand Prix when he denied his team's request. The Red Bull drivers were running sixth and seventh on the final lap, with Verstappen ahead after an underwhelming race for the team.
He has already run away with the championship so the points did not matter to him, but Perez needed every point he could get in his fight for second place in the standings. That's why the team asked Verstappen to move aside – but he refused, explaining over the radio that he had already discussed the topic behind closed doors.
Giving his thoughts on the situation, former F1 racer Chandhok feels Verstappen could come to regret it next season if Perez finished behind Charles Leclerc in the standings. "I think it was short-sighted of Max, to be honest," he explained to Betway.
"On one hand, he's a racing driver, and inherently racing drivers are all selfish. The great ones are even more selfish, the Sennas, the Schumachers. But there come certain moments where you have to think of the long term and the big picture.
"Next year, more than likely, Max is once again going to be the championship contender in that team, not Checo. But there will be those two or three weekends in a year where he might need a bit of help.
"When I watched that situation unfold, considering they were battling for sixth and seventh, my brain immediately went back to Suzuka '91 and Suzuka '92. In '91 with Senna and in '92 with Mansell, it was a similar situation.
"They had both become world champions that year, they both had a bit of help from their teammates at certain key moments, and they both gave up the race lead and the victory for their teammates to say thank you, and also ensure a bit of loyalty for the future.
"That's what Max should have done because what is another sixth place to him? It's meaningless. If I'm in Checo's position next year, why would I make the extra effort to help Max?"
