"Red Bull Racing is not Max Verstappen Racing"

Christian Horner responded to questions from Jos Verstappen - who demanded that the team always prioritize his son Max - by basically saying that "Red Bull Racing is not Max Verstappen Racing."

Christian Horner responded to questions from Jos Verstappen - who demanded that the team always prioritize his son Max - by basically saying that "Red Bull Racing is not Max Verstappen Racing."

Czech Perez put himself in contention for the 2022 F1 title with a fine win at the 2022 Monaco GP, which now has the Mexican in P3 on the world championship table, just 15 points behind Verstappen and 6 behind P2 Charles Leclerc.

Reacting to Jos Verstappen's request that the team enforce his son Max's status as first driver, Horner told the : "We are not talking about Sergio Perez Racing or Max Verstappen Racing here. It's about Red Bull Racing."

"The drivers work for the team and have that responsibility. It's important that they realize that the ambitions of the team are bigger than their own," insisted the Bulls boss.

As for Perez's rise to title contention after seven rounds, Horner said, "He is in contention for this championship as much as Max, the difference between the two is nothing. He and Max are much closer this year."

Horner: Czech is doing a great job this year, closer than ever to Max

Regarding Monaco, Horner said in the team report, "It was an amazing day for us and an amazing day for Checo, he was ahead of Max all weekend, so it's a deserved win. The teamwork and for both our drivers to overcome a Ferrari was fantastic."

"Checo is doing a great job this year, in Jeddah he had that amazing pole and the time delta between him and Max is much closer this year. Winning in Monaco was a well-deserved victory," he said.

After the GP in the Principality, Verstappen was asked by reporters that, with his teammate also in contention for the title, this would not bring tensions and/or destabilize a harmonious and respectful relationship that the pair has maintained until now.

The reigning F1 champion, unflappable and apparently even enjoying the challenge, replied, "Why would that change? We work very well as a team."

"We always try to optimize the car and work for the team and we can accept when someone does a good job or does a better job and I think that's very important because that's how you respect each other."

"Let the best man win in the end, right? We always try to do the best we can on the track, but we also respect each other a lot," added Verstappen, who leads the 2022 F1 drivers' standings with 125 points ahead of the 2022 Azerbaijan GP, the eighth race of the season, which will be contested this Sunday.