Max Verstappen pays an ode to teammate Sergio Perez’s instrumental role in Abu Dhabi GP: “Champion thanks to him”

Max Verstappen pays an ode to teammate Sergio Perez’s instrumental role in Abu Dhabi GP: “Champion thanks to him”

Max Verstappen with Sergio Perez

The incidents in the dramatic 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix are not the result of an individual cause. Of course, Nicholas Latifi’s mishap and subsequent work by Michael Masi had a significant effect on the advancement of the race that decided the 2021 F1 World Drivers’ Championship. However, Yas Marina’s was a chain of actions in which 2021 F1 world champion Max Verstappen had a reliable teammate in Sergio Perez.

The much underappreciated Mexican drew his talons in the season finale, and in the final race he had the distinction of prolonging the very first sojourn, having to wait at the gate for Lewis Hamilton, making efficient use of his tyres, and then attempting to block the seven-time F1 World Champion.

Max Verstappen regained eight essential seconds as a result of the fight between Perez and Hamilton: they were actually used to deny Hamilton the free pit stop window. The Briton was made to remain on track with the Safety Car in this manner.

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Max Verstappen understands the value of Sergio Perez’s role in the title-decider race

Sergio Perez
Sergio Perez

” For me that was a race like any other , naturally with a greater pressure, because it was a question of fighting for a World Cup. The moment I passed Carlos Sainz after the pit stop, I didn’t see Lewis because he was way ahead, but I knew Checo hadn’t stopped and at that point I knew what was going on ,” said the Dutchman in a podcast highlighting Perez’s monumental role in the race at the Yas Marina Circuit.

 “This episode marked my race: if Checo hadn’t blocked Hamilton, I wouldn’t have been champion. Lewis would then have a free stop and end up there. Completely reducing the gap was crucial for the final victory,” added the reigning F1 world champion.

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He went on to bring to focus the importance of making crucial decisions every now and then in the motorsport. He talked about how an opportunity to win opened up for him following Nicholas Latifi’s crash which brought the Safety Car on the track.

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