Jos Verstappen Blasts 'Idiot' Papa Pérez Over Max Champion Claims

Jos Verstappen has sharply criticized Antonio Pérez Garibay, the father of Sergio Pérez, calling him an "idiot" for his recent comments. Papa Pérez had claimed that his son would be an F1 World Champion if Red Bull had provided him with the "same car" as Max Verstappen's during their four years as teammates.

Why it matters

This public spat highlights ongoing tensions surrounding Sergio Pérez's tenure at Red Bull and his father's unwavering belief in his son's championship potential, even after his departure from the team.

The claims

Antonio Pérez Garibay asserted that "Checo Pérez has made Verstappen champion," referring to Sergio's crucial role in holding up Lewis Hamilton at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He then added, "If Checo had had the same car, he would be the World Champion now." This comes after Pérez finished a distant second to Max Verstappen in 2023, scoring less than half of Max's points, and later saw his contract canceled by Red Bull.

Jos Verstappen's harsh response

Max Verstappen's father, Jos, quickly took to social media to refute these claims directly.

• "What an idiot that guy is," Jos wrote on X.
• "He was always been given the same material. But just needed to step on the gas."

What's next

Sergio Pérez has since signed a multi-year deal with new F1 entrant Cadillac, a move Papa Pérez believes will finally allow his son to achieve his World Championship goal. Max Verstappen, meanwhile, expressed his support for his former teammate's return to the grid.

• Max stated, "I’m of course very happy for him that he got a seat. He’s a great guy and we’ve always got along very well. I’m happy to see him back on the grid."
• He added that Pérez's performance would depend on the car, but it's a "new opportunity" he's excited for.