Verstappen refuses Red Bull team orders | Perez: "It shows who he really is"

• F1 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix - Full Race results from Round 21
• F1 standings 2022: World Championship points after the 2022 Sao Paulo GP

World champion Verstappen was forced to watch a Mercedes 1-2 as George Russell won at Interlagos, with Lewis Hamilton behind him.

Verstappen finished sixth, with teammate Sergio Perez seventh, but only because the champion disagreed with his team’s plea to let Perez pass.

• Hamilton blames Verstappen for clash at F1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix

When Verstappen was later asked by his engineer why he ignored the order, he exclaimed: “I told you already. 

“Guys, don’t ask me again. Are we clear about that? I gave my reasons. And I stand by it.”

Perez said via his own team radio about Verstappen: "It shows who he really is."

Perez remains tied with Charles Leclerc in the battle for second in the F1 standings which is why Red Bull wanted him to earn extra points in Brazil.

Verstappen was already upset after early contact with his rival Lewis Hamilton left him needing to pit for a new wing, and facing an uphill battle.

Why did Verstappen ignore team orders?

• Revealed: Verstappen “has not forgotten” Perez’s “deliberate crash”

Verstappen claimed he could have qualified in second, had Perez not crashed and caused a red flag.

Christian Horner, the Red Bull team boss, denied that Perez had cost his teammate.

Perez then won the Monaco Grand Prix the following day. It was, until now, the sole source of potential problems between Verstappen and his teammate in a year of glory for the Dutchman.