F1 world champion Max Verstappen has risked angering Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez with a brutal dig at second drivers.
While Perez has played the loyal team-mate to the two-time world champion their relationship was publicly questioned after Verstappen refused to let the Mexican past at the Brazilian Grand Prix, despite his greater need for championship points.
Defying team orders Verstappen blasted on the radio: "‘I told you already last time… don’t ask that again to me, are we clear about that? I gave my reasons and I stand by it.’ Verstappen was thought to be referring to Perez's crash in Monaco red flagging qualifying and stopping the Dutch driver completing a flying lap.
Verstappen now risks fracturing their relationship further by comments made during an interviewed with Viaplay voicing his opinion on the role of second drivers.
“You just have to accept that the driver next to you is just a bit better. That’s fine, that can happen," said Verstappen.
"Some drivers can’t do that and then it goes completely wrong. Then they don’t survive for very long. I’m not going to name names, but you have to accept your role. You can’t live in a fairytale world.”
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Verstappen referred to the career of Valtteri Bottas who was second driver at Mercedes behind Lewis Hamilton for five years during which his team-mate won four world titles. During his stint with Mercedes the Finish driver won 10 races but failed to show the consistency to challenge Hamilton for the title.
Bottas left Mercedes to join Alfa Romeo on a multi-year contract but has finished in the top five just once this season and was 10th in the overall driver's championships.
Talking about Bottas the Dutch driver added: “Every year he starts fresh. But after a few races you realise it’s not going to happen again and you accept your role. He still finished on podiums, he won a few races and took pole positions."
Perez is set to be second driver at Red Bull for the foreseeable future having signed a two-year contract extension in May. Verstappen hindered his chances of a second-place finish in the driver's championship by refusing to let him past at the Brazilian Grand Prix. The Mexican blasted his team-mate stating: "This shows who he really is."
