Max Verstappen expressed his gratitude towards Sergio Perez, praising his direct and honest attitude during their years as teammates at Red Bull Racing.<\/p>\n
Red Bull announced the end of its collaboration with Sergio Perez at the end of the 2024 season, marking a pause in the Mexican driver’s F1 career. Liam Lawson has been confirmed as the new teammate of Max Verstappen for 2025.<\/p>\n
Sergio Perez will have been the fourth teammate of Max Verstappen<\/b> at Red Bull, after Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly, and Daniel Ricciardo.<\/p>\nVerstappen thanks Perez<\/h2>\n
In a video posted on Red Bull’s social media, Max Verstappen paid tribute to Sergio Perez, highlighting his human as well as professional qualities.<\/p>\n
“I remember this photo [an image of Perez and Verstappen celebrating in Parc Ferm\u00e9 after Abu Dhabi 2021] \u00bb,” said the four-time world champion.<\/p>\n
\u00ab He was an excellent teammate for me. As you can see in this photo, without his help during this race, none of this would have been possible. I will always be grateful to him. But what is really the most important is that it has always been pleasant, straightforward, and honest. It’s not often you have a teammate about whom you can say all these things. \u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00ab I am very grateful to Checo, not just as a teammate, but as a person. Working with him has been a real pleasure. \u00bb<\/p>\n
Although Red Bull missed the constructors’ title in 2021 to Mercedes, Sergio Perez’s role in Max Verstappen’s drivers’ title victory was crucial<\/b>.<\/p>\n
During the Turkish Grand Prix, his defense against Lewis Hamilton cost him valuable points, potentially a podium. More crucially, during the final Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, Sergio Perez’s tenacious defense and his strategy to slow down Lewis Hamilton prevented the seven-time world champion from building a sufficient gap to make a pit stop when a virtual or actual safety car was deployed.<\/p>\n
Even with the controversies related to the race management by Michael Masi, if Lewis Hamilton had been able to establish a sufficient gap to change tires, he likely would have maintained the advantage during the restart under the Safety Car, depriving Max Verstappen of [his first world crown](https:\/\/www.f1.com\/actualite\/35485-il-y-3-ans-jour-jour-max-verstappen-remportait-premier-titre-mondial.html).<\/p>\n
\nIt’s been an absolute pleasure driving alongside you \ud83d\ude4f We’ve had some amazing moments together that I’ll always remember. Thank you, Checo! pic.twitter.com\/iaUMunXZb3<\/a><\/p>\n