“Checo deserved that win,” Fans left divided over Max Verstappen being helped by team orders in a strong 1-2 finish for Red Bull

The Spanish Grand Prix went into the way of Red Bull after both the cars had an amazing 1-2 finish with Max Verstappen winning a third consecutive race in 2022. 

Max Verstappen started the race on the front grid, after qualifying 2nd, and his teammate Sergio Perez started 5th. 

Soon after the race started, there was chaos on the track as Hamilton suffered from a tyre puncture due to making contact with Kevin Magnussen which sent his Haas onto the gravel. Somehow, George Russell maintained a good P2 for a long time. Soon after, race leader Charles Leclerc, who had managed to have a lead of more than 20 seconds, suffered from a power issue in his Ferrari which made him retire from the race. 

Max Verstappen seemingly suffered from a lot of DRS issues in his car as he was battling Geroge Russell for his position. His rear wing didn’t open many times, but it was finally resolved by the team. 

Watch: Sergio Perez Team Radio After P2 in Spanish Grand Prix+

Later, Sergio Perez was leading the race, and behind him was his teammate Max Verstappen, followed by the Mercedes of George Russell. The Red Bull duo seemed to be performing well while the back of the grid was battling each other; Carlos Sainz trying to make up places, George Russell battling with Verstappen to get back on P2, which ultimately, he failed to do so. 

Interestingly enough, Sergio Perez was given indirect team orders after Max made a couple of faster laps than him, which said that he should let Max go if he’s able to catch up with Checo. 

To this, Sergio had a passive-aggressive reaction; “that’s unfair, but okay,” he was heard saying on his radio.

Soon, Sergio let Max Verstappen pass for P1. 

Also read: “That’s really unfair,” Sergio Perez unhappy with team orders of letting Max Verstappen through

Red Bull fans enraged after listening to the team orders. 

Although this was a strategic move by the team to let Max Verstappen pass, Red Bull fans were frustrated and bashed out, saying that Checo deserved the win. 

This is not the first time that team orders have enraged the fans; infamously in 2001, when Rubens Barrichello was asked to give the winning position to Michael Schumacher, and similarly many times Mercedes asked Valtteri Bottas to let Hamilton pass in the previous seasons. 

After both the Red Bulls crossed the checkered flag, Sergio Perez had some remarks for the team over the radio; “(I’m) happy for the team, but we need to speak later.”

This reflected the frustration that Perez had after he was made to let Verstappen pass. 

However, Red Bull did call Checo in to change tyres and go for the fastest lap, which he did, and also made him see a 18 second gap between him and Verstappen. 

George Russell finished 3rd in the race, followed up by Carlos Sainz on 4th. 

Both Max Verstappen and Red Bull now lead the championship, followed by Charles Leclerc and Ferrari. 

Also read: What went wrong with Charles Leclerc’s car? Why did the Ferrari driver have to retire his car at the Spanish GP?

Also read: ‘We can’t even make the fu**ing DRS work’: Max Verstappen rants furiously on the radio after a tough battle with George Russell