Max Verstappen expressed his frustration and demanded a discussion with his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez after feeling he was squeezed onto the grass during the start of the Austrian GP sprint race.
The race began with a Red Bull front-row lockout, with Verstappen leading the pack and Perez alongside him. However, Perez managed to snatch the lead into the opening corner, initiating a tense battle between the two drivers. Verstappen found himself forced onto the grass as he was seemingly squeezed by Perez but swiftly regained the lead at Turn 3. Unfortunately for Perez, this manoeuvre cost him a position as Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg overtook him.
Following his dominant performance in the sprint race, Verstappen voiced his concerns about the incident over the team radio, stating, “Yeah, good race, the exit of Turn 1, that was not really nice, that could have been a really big shunt. We need to have a chat about that, that’s not okay.”
Verstappen and Perez engaged in a discussion shortly after the race, aiming to resolve the issue. Perez explained that he had not seen Verstappen alongside him due to a poor exit from Turn 1. He added that he tried to protect his position but, once he realized Verstappen was there, he opened up the door and gave the position back at Turn 2.
Both drivers seemed to reach a mutual understanding during their conversation. Perez reassured the media, stating, “It’s all fine. We just talked about it.”
Verstappen described the incident as a “hairy moment” but was relieved that no damage occurred. He went on to win the race with a comfortable 21-second margin after a 24-lap sprint. Verstappen extended his lead over Perez in the Drivers’ Championship by another point, now standing at 70. He is set to start from pole position in the Austrian Grand Prix.
Despite the intense on-track rivalry between Verstappen and Perez, their team aims to address and resolve any conflicts to maintain a healthy working relationship as they continue their championship battle.
