Red Bull driver Sergio Perez saw the funny side of things in Las Vegas as he joked about his team's boycott of Sky Sports at last month's Mexican Grand Prix.
Perez was on stage with Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell who cheekily brought up the subject at F1's Las Vegas lavish launch party. The Red Bull driver made light of the situation by suggesting that the absence of Max Verstappen and team principal Christian Horner meant that he could talk to show host and Sky Sports commentator David Croft, nicknamed Crofty.
During the event, Russell brought up the awkward subject while stood on stage with Perez. He said: "Sorry are you allowed to ask Red Bull drivers questions, Crofty?"
In reply, Croft kept calm and quickly added: "I am tonight, yep. I've got special permission tonight. Don't start on me." Not deterred, the Sky Sports pundit then turned to Perez, asking: "Are you allowed to answer?" In reply, the Mexican driver said: "Yes... while they're not here!"
The Red Bull boycott with Sky Sports started when two-time world champion Verstappen took issue with a comment by reporter Ted Kravitz, who implied Lewis Hamilton was "robbed" of last year’s title after their dramatic battle in Abu Dhabi to end the 2021 season.
Was Max Verstappen right to make a stand against Sky Sports? Tell us your views in the comments section
The comment infuriated the world champion, which led to Red Bull supporting their star man in snubbing Sky Sports.. “If you keep disrespecting me I am not tolerating it any more and that is why I decided to stop answering,” Verstappen told reporters after his 14th race win of the season in Mexico.
Verstappen was backed by team principal Christian Horner who added that the boycott would only be for the Mexican GP.
"We were upset and we made the decision to stand together as a team," he said. "Some of the commentary is fair but some pieces are sensationalist and saying we robbed anyone of the championship, as was said in Austin, is going too far. "
With the boycott over, the Daily Mail has reported that Sky's F1 director Billy McGinty would visit the team's Milton Keynes base for cleat-the-air talks yesterday ahead of this weekend's Brazilian GP.
