Jolyon Palmer has criticised the Red Bull team dynamic, saying it is very one-sided in terms of benefits.
Max Verstappen took victory at the US GP, while his teammate Sergio Perez crossed the line in third place. With Perez all but out of the title race, it is only natural that he has been instructed to help his title challenger teammate.
However, the race saw Verstappen telling Red Bull to pit Perez to force his title rival Lewis Hamilton to pit as well. This did not sit well with the F1 columnist, who questioned the situation at the Milton-Keynes outfit’s garage.
Palmer criticised the Red Bull team dynamic, and called it out for favouring one driver more than the other.
“A driver trying to dictate the strategy of his team-mate is pretty much unheard of during the race, but Red Bull duly brought Perez in and Hamilton was forced to cover him,” Palmer wrote in his column.
“We know Red Bull are sacrificing Perez from time to time, purely to aim for the drivers’ title. Even as early as Silverstone they pitted Perez out of the points, just so he could get the fastest lap and stop Hamilton picking up the extra point.
“It’s a slightly bizarre dynamic when the lead driver starts to suggest it as well though over the team radio, but it just shows how single-minded Verstappen is right now.
“He’s acting like a driver who has been here before and has the experience to read the race and make the right calls, even in these high-pressure scenarios.”
Champion elect
Palmer also stated that Verstappen is hitting all the right notes to become a champion, and said that his latest win could very well have been the defining moment.
“Verstappen was downbeat after Turkey, thinking Mercedes might be picking up momentum. In one fell swoop he has turned it on its head,” he continued.
“With a perfect drive, Verstappen has just cemented himself as favourite once more, and if he were to go on and win the title this year, a race like Austin might be looked back on as a champion’s drive.”
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