The world of Formula 1 is no stranger to drama, but Jos Verstappen just turned the heat up to eleven, branding Sergio Perez’s father, Antonio Perez Garibay, “an idiot” on X.
The fiery jab came in response to Perez Sr’s bold claim that his son would have clinched the world championship at Red Bull if he’d been given the same equipment as teammate Max Verstappen.
The war of words comes as Sergio Perez prepares for a return to the grid in 2026 with Cadillac, where he will partner Valtteri Bottas. After sitting out the 2025 season, Perez is banking on a fresh start — while Bottas has stayed sharp in Mercedes’ test and reserve role.
In a recent interview, Antonio Perez doubled down on his long-held belief that his son’s contribution to Red Bull’s dominance was underestimated.
“Checo was with Red Bull for four years. How many years was Red Bull champion? All four. Checo Perez made Verstappen world champion,” he boldly claimed.
Perez Sr’s comments reference F1’s controversial Abu Dhabi finale in 2021, when Checo played a crucial team role in Max Verstappen’s first title win.
His masterful defense against Lewis Hamilton in the race was a game-changer. Had Perez not held Hamilton up, the Mercedes driver might have built a gap large enough to avoid the chaos of the controversial Safety Car restart that handed Verstappen the crown.
Antonio Perez then suggested that Checo was shortchanged on equipment by Red Bull.
“If Checo had received the car he deserved in his final year, he would have become world champion himself. Red Bull needed him to become champion.
“They gave him a great car [in 2021], and he kept an eight-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton, behind him.”
Jos Verstappen, never one to shy away from a fight, took to social media after seeing the remarks. His blunt response left no room for interpretation.
“What an idiot he is,” Jos wrote. “He’s always been given the same material, but he just has to step on the gas.”
Yuki Tsunoda’s recent revelation that he didn’t get identical machinery to Verstappen until a last-minute floor upgrade at the Belgian Grand Prix in 2024 has sparked whispers that Perez, too, might not have always had the same spec as his teammate, lending some weight to his father’s claims.
However, Jos Verstappen clearly isn’t buying it, and the former F1 driver has no patience for claims that anyone but Max made Red Bull’s dominance possible.
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