19 January 2024 , 06:00
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Sergio Perez has been warned that Max Verstappen will continue to "destroy his team-mates" having been told to do so by his strict father.
The Dutchman has an excellent record against his team-mates in Formula 1. And Perez knows first-hand just how hard it is to go up against him, given Verstappen has won the title in all three seasons they have raced together at Red Bull.
Jos Verstappen, himself a former F1 racer, was infamously hard on his son as he rose through the ranks in karting. That, according to ex-Toro Rosso team manager Graham Watson, came from his own experience of being resoundingly beaten by Michael Schumacher at Benetton.
"I think that Jos felt that Michael Schumacher had better material and was favoured," Watson told Dutch magazine Formule1. "I had the impression that Jos had difficulties accepting that, because he also was a very gifted driver.
"Flavio [Briatore, Benetton team principal at the time] had a strong bond with Michael, both sporting-wise and personal. That's why I think Jos imprinted on Max very early on, that the first thing that you have to do is destroy his team-mates.
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"And we have seen that in recent years. It has to be your team, you have to be the man around whom it revolves. I'm convinced that you now also see this with Max - first beat your team-mate, then win the title.
"To this day, I don't think that Jos got fair treatment at Benetton and that has partly ensured that Max understands that aspect of the sport very well. He does not need better equipment, he wants the same equipment, talent will do the rest."
Perez has come within 200 points of Verstappen only once during their three seasons as team-mates. The Dutchman is the favourite to secure his fourth consecutive title in the upcoming campaign but, despite complaints from some that the lack of a title fight is detrimental to F1, Watson holds the opposing view: that Verstappen has given the sport a boost.
He added: "Max is the best thing that has happened to Formula 1. When Max went from [Toro Rosso] to Red Bull, I compared it to Michael Schumacher's move to Ferrari. He [Schumacher] made Formula 1 immensely popular at the time. Just look at the old images of Hockenheim and Spa: the stands were full with Schumacher flags.
"I think Max single-handedly saved Formula 1. Because he brings the same intensity and generates interest. People come en masse to Austria, Spa, actually everywhere for him. I didn't even see that back in Schumacher's time. My wife is 60 years old, but a big fan of Max because of his style, because of the excitement he creates on track."