Max Verstappen to reward Sergio Perez with ‘tequilas’ for holding off Lewis Hamilton at Turkish Grand Prix

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Max Verstappen has said Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez should be rewarded with tequila for holding off Lewis Hamilton at the Turkish Grand Prix.

Verstappen finished second in Istanbul as title rival Hamilton came fifth after starting 11th on the grid, while Perez crossed the line third. Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas claimed his first win of the season, meanwhile.

As a result of those finishes, Verstappen erased Hamilton’s two-point lead at the top of the Formula One drivers’ standings, and the 24-year-old is now six points clear of the seven-time champion with six races left this season.

As Sky F1 interviewed Verstappen after the grand prix on Sunday, teammate Perez interrupted.

“You owe me a couple of tequilas!” the Mexican said.

“I’ll get them to you in Mexico – before the weekend or after?” Verstappen asked, referring to the Mexican Grand Prix on 7 November.

Perez replied: “After!”

He went on to say: “With Lewis, when he came I think I was at the worst stage of my race. I was degging off massively, and to defend him was pretty hard.

“I think at that point Lewis is the fastest car on the track and [I’m] probably one of the slowest and really degging off with my tyres.

“At that point it was just about surviving, trying to keep him behind. It was very important for our race to keep him behind.

“He was already ahead, but I gave it a good shot into Turn 1 and managed to survive. I went through the wet patches and the car stuck in.

“It was a really enjoyable fight.”

Next up on the F1 calendar is the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas on 24 October.