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Max Verstappen may have secured the F1 title in Suzuka some time ago, but the Brazilian GP revealed more about him than any other race this season. He is turning into one of those numerous F1 champions that divide opinions: some love him and some love to hate him. That makes him the perfect hero and villain for modern F1.
This is my team, deal with it!
Most Formula 1 champions have certain things in common. One of those things is the fact that they are able to build the team around them and take ownership of the team.
Michael Schumacher — another driver who was very controversial during his time — built Ferrari around him. Before Verstappen, Red Bull was Sebastian Vettel's team. Lewis Hamilton made Mercedes his own, especially after Nico Rosberg retired.
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However, few have defied the team's wishes as bluntly as Max Verstappen did in Brazil. Only the Multi 21 controversy between Vettel and Mark Webber comes close in recent history.
In Brazil, Red Bull asked Verstappen to help his teammate Sergio Perez in his battle for second place in the championship by handing his position to Perez. Not only did Verstappen refuse, but told his team off on the radio, making it clear they should not ask him anything like that.
There is probably more than meets the eye here. Some say the feud goes back to Monaco, where Perez spun and robbed Verstappen's chance to pole. However, Verstappen's message is clear: this is my team and I call the shots. As an outsider, it is impossible to know the team's internal politics, but by disobeying publicly, Verstappen has put his foot down.
He makes the team's leadership look weak, just like after Vettel in the Multi 21 controversy. It is unlikely anything will happen to Max Verstappen for disobeying, just like nothing happened to Vettel. Red Bull is now officially his team. In reality, it has been that way for years now, ever since Daniel Ricciardo — who saw which way the wind blew — left the team.
Verstappen's behavior looks particularly rude and arrogant, given that Perez played a key role in last year's championship finale by holding off Hamilton in a spectacular manner. He has helped Verstappen on other occasions too. Verstappen now had a chance to repay those favors and he chose not to.
ESPN listed all the times Sergio Perez helped Max Verstappen last year alone:
"It shows who he really is"
Nobody can deny that Max Verstappen is an extremely fast and talented F1 driver. That has been clear for a long time now. Drivers like him enter our beloved sport very rarely.
However, that does not mean he is necessarily a great driver overall. Being a great driver takes more than just raw speed and public mutiny against your team. Being a team player, or playing the role of one, is a part of that greatness.
Let's take it from one of the greats, Michael Schumacher. After securing his fourth title in 2001, he promised publicly to help his teammate Rubens Barrichello achieve second place in the championship.
If for nothing else, Schumacher surely knew he might need his teammate's help in the future, a cynic might say. Barrichello himself has said Schumacher was only out for himself. This does not rule out the possibility of Schumacher being ready to help, for selfish reasons.
And let's not forget what happened in 1999. Schumacher was a championship contender until his terrible clash at Silverstone, which forced him out of F1 for months. After recovering and getting back, he drove the wheels off his Ferrari F399 trying to help his teammate Eddie Irvine to the title.
Max Verstappen evidently hasn't been doing anything like that, at least at this point of his career.
Despite Sergio Perez helping Max Verstappen significantly last year and this year, Verstappen never suggested he would return the favor, not until the controversy in Brazil. Perez was upset after the race and said on the team radio that the Dutchman's behavior "shows who he really is."
He is absolutely right, Verstappen is not a team player. Despite doing damage control and promising to help Perez in Abu Dhabi if needed, the damage is done.
Hero or Villain, Max Verstappen is great for F1
Despite what one thinks about Max Verstappen, he is great for Formula 1, especially in the time of social media engagement and Drive to Survive reality TV.
Formula 1 has taken huge steps to engage with fans in the past few years and having colorful drivers and other characters are good for the show. For some, it might go too far, especially if the drama is artificially built by reality TV. Thanks to characters like Verstappen, Hamilton, and Fernando Alonso, who split people's opinions, there is no need to build up drama artificially.
People will follow F1 thanks to the characters we love and love to hate. Last year's battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton was one of the classics in its own right and hopefully we are treated to something similar next year.
