Formula 1 Mexican GP
Vettel: Red Bull shouldn't use 'bad' F1 team orders on Perez
Sebastian Vettel thinks Sergio Perez should not face Red Bull team orders in Formula 1’s Mexican Grand Prix if he has a chance of winning his home race.
Jonathan Noble
Edited: Nov 5, 2021, 2:56 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Perez has the best opportunity of his career to win on home ground in Mexico City this weekend, with his Red Bull squad clear favourites against main rival Mercedes.
But, with his teammate Max Verstappen locked in a tight title fight with Lewis Hamilton, it is obvious that Red Bull will do all it can to help ensure his championship hopes are not compromised.
That could trigger a scenario where, if Perez is leading from Verstappen in the closing stages of the race, he could be given team orders to sacrifice the victory.
While Vettel understands that such a team orders call would be entirely logical for Red Bull, he thinks, as a whole, such interference from the pitwall is not a welcome thing in F1.
“I'm not a fan of team orders,” said the Aston Martin driver.
“There's two different team orders: there's the team order that you give way and you get it back in the same race, if you are on different strategies. And then there's obviously the team order where clearly one has to sort of get out of the way to make the other one score more points.
“Even if maybe the situation is logically very easy to explain, I still think it's bad and I will be in favour of not having any team orders ever. Yeah, I think it's just that nobody likes it.”
He added: “If Checo happens to be ahead, then Checo should stay ahead. And if he's not ahead, he has to be overtaken by whoever, whether that's a Mercedes or a Red Bull.
“I can also see if that's not happening and he will have to let Max by, but Valtteri [Bottas] has been in that position, and it's not nice.”
Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing, 3rd position, in the Press Conference
Photo by: FIA Pool
Perez himself is well aware of the complications surrounding a potential Red Bull team orders headache, but thinks there is no point wasting time thinking about the matter before a clearer picture of team form emerges.
“I don't see much point in discussing that now,” he said. “I think probably we will see where we are on Saturday and if it's worthwhile having that conversation.
Read Also:
“Right now, there's no guarantee that we're going to be in that position. I think it will be a great problem to have as a team. But right now, we haven't discussed anything.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Giovinazzi hopes to know ‘bad or good’ news over Alfa F1 future soon
Next article Mexican GP: The latest F1 technical images on display
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jonathan Noble
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
Formula 1
Formula 1
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Formula 1
Formula 1
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress
Formula 1
Formula 1
Australian GP
Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress
Latest news
Aprilia: “Marco Bezzecchi couldn’t avoid the collision; Marc Marquez moved in on him"
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
58 min
Aprilia: “Marco Bezzecchi couldn’t avoid the collision; Marc Marquez moved in on him"
How the Racing Bulls pendulum is swinging back towards undeniable Liam Lawson
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
1 h
How the Racing Bulls pendulum is swinging back towards undeniable Liam Lawson
How Max Verstappen beat Red Bull's own simulation tools with P2 in Brazil
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
2 h
How Max Verstappen beat Red Bull's own simulation tools with P2 in Brazil
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe