Verstappen and Perez drinking tequila: "The team will be happy with that anyway"

Making a difference with Mercedes

Despite the double podium in Turkey, Mercedes really had the faster car in Istanbul. With the focus now on 2022, Verstappen and Perez don't expect any major upgrades either. Red Bull will therefore have to try a different way to beat Mercedes. "The main thing now is to understand our own car even better and find extra speed that way," the Dutchman told Motorsport.com.

According to Verstappen, it's not just about aerodynamic updates when improving the car. "Understanding the tyres plays a very important role as well, after all they are the only contact points with the asphalt. If you can 'nail' the way the tyres work in a weekend then you can already make a very big difference."

Key role for Perez in title fight

In Turkey, Perez did his teammate a great service by holding off Lewis Hamilton in the race to keep him away from important points. The Mexican could therefore be a key player in the title race in the remaining races, but he still wants no say in stable orders. "The first priority is to do the best I can for myself. I am helping the team and Max as part of that team."

Referring once again to the race in Turkey, Perez said. "If Lewis had passed me at that moment, his race would have been very different, you know. In this way, I can be important in the constructors' and also the drivers' championship. I have to do the best I can for myself and that will have an impact on the team."

Drinking tequila in Mexico

After the US Grand Prix next weekend, Mexico is the next race on the calendar. According to Perez, Verstappen owes him a few tequilas after the duel with Hamilton in Turkey. Mexico is of course the obvious place for it. "Otherwise, let's do it already on Friday, then we'll be optimally prepared for qualifying, " Verstappen jokes in the double interview. "The team will be happy with that anyway", Perez responds. That's going to work out for sure.