"What an idiot that guy is": Max Verstappen's father Jos Verstappen lashes out at Sergio Perez's father for blasting Red Bull

Sergio Perez's father, Antonio Perez, had recently asserted that his son was not given the same machinery as his teammate, Max Verstappen, in an interview. Subsequently, Max's father, Jos Verstappen, responded to such claims, slamming the Mexican by calling him an "idiot" for making such statements.

Max and Sergio were teammates at Red Bull from 2021 to 2024. During this time, the Dutchman won four world drivers' championships, while his teammate ended his tenure at the team early owing to his subpar results during the 2024 season.

This prompted Red Bull to replace him with Liam Lawson after the conclusion of the 2024 season. While this stained Perez's career in F1, as it ended with torrid results in comparison to his teammate winning the title despite not having the fastest car on paper.

But, in a recent interview, Sergio's father, Antonio Perez, claimed that Verstappen would not have won even a single title if not for his son's help and further asserted that if the 35-year-old the same car as the Dutchman, Sergio would have been a world champion himself:

"Checo drove for Red Bull for four years. How many years did Red Bull hold the championship? Four years. Checo Pérez made Verstappen the champion. If Checo had had the same car, he would now be the world champion."

However, these claims did not sit well with Max's father, Jos Verstappen, who slammed Antonio's statement and further wrote:

"What an idiot that guy is. He’s always been given the same material. But just needs to step on the gas."

Jos Verstappen

@MaVic009

What an idiot that guy is. He’s always been given the same material But just needs to step on the gas.

Meanwhile, Sergio Perez will again make his way back to the F1 grid next year after Cadillac signed him and Valtteri Bottas for its debut season in the sport.

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Max Verstappen is happy for Sergio Perez to land a drive at Cadillac

Max Verstappen (L) and Sergio Perez (R) - Source: Getty

During their time together as teammates, Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez helped Red Bull to claim its first 1-2 in the drivers' championship standings (in 2023). Though the Mexican suffered a massive dip in results in the following year, leading to his exit, the two shared several moments in the F1 paddock.

So, when the news of his comeback to F1 became public, Verstappen revealed that he was happy for the Mexican, as he said (via F1's official website):

"When I saw the news come out, I sent a message to him. Of course [I’m] very happy for him that he got a seat. He’s a great guy and we always got along very well, so I’m happy to see him back on the grid. How he’s going to perform I think will also depend on how good the car is going to be, so it’s a bit difficult to say at the moment. But it’s a new opportunity and I’m sure he’s very excited for it."

On the other hand, the Austrian giant has not remained at the top of the F1 in 2025. While the RB21 has claimed two victories this year, Max Verstappen has been unable to return to victory lane since the Emilia Romagna GP, showcasing the team's sudden downfall.