Max Verstappen has praised Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez for both his on-track and off-track characteristics. The Mexican is now in his third season at the squad, having joined after his predecessors, Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon, both struggled to match Verstappen. Despite the incident between them at the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix – where Verstappen refused a team order to let Perez by on the final lap – the World Champion has developed a good relationship with Perez.
Verstappen: Perez drove brilliantly at 2021 Abu Dhabi GP
"I have got to know Checo [Perez] a lot better in the last few years," Verstappen told the Daily Mail . "He drove brilliantly for the team when I won my first world title in Abu Dhabi. He was superb that day. "We were rivals before, especially when I started out at Toro Rosso, and then I got to know him in a bit more personal way. "What I like is that he is a family man and really cares for his friends."
Perez knows success is not everything, says Verstappen
Verstappen believes that he shares a similar outlook on things as Perez, particularly when it comes to defining success. "F1 is very important and you want to have a lot of success, but it is not the end of the world if you don’t succeed," the Dutchman said. "I think the same way. We have all won races – and he is the most successful Mexican – but it is not everything because most of your life goes on after you have stopped." While Perez has been unable to reach the same levels of 'success' on track as Verstappen, the 33-year-old has achieved three race wins since joining Red Bull and finished a career-best P3 in the 2022 World Championship.
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