F1 champion Max Verstappen’s mother accuses Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez of cheating on his wife
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Max Verstappen’s mother has accused his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez of cheating on his wife, as the feud between the pair continues to escalate after the Brazilian grand prix.
The F1 world champion defied team orders to let Perez pass him in Sao Paulo last weekend, sparking a war of words between them.
Having already clinched this season’s title, moving up the rankings didn’t matter to Verstappen – but every point counts for Perez, who is tied on 290 points as he battles Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc for second in the Drivers’ Championship heading into the final race next weekend in Abu Dhabi.
Max Verstappen and his mother Sophie Kumpen, who defended him with a vicious sled to his teammate Sergio Perez
Sergio Perez (left) was left furious after teammate Max Verstappen (right) defied team orders to pass him at the Brazilian GP – despite the latter already holding the title
A furious Perez did not hold back after the race.
“It shows who he (Verstappen) really is,” he said.
‘I don’t really have anything to say. After everything I’ve done for him, it’s disappointing. I have no idea. I’m really surprised.
The criticism did not appeal to Verstappen’s glamorous mother Sophie Kumpen.
In a since-deleted comment, Kumpen responded to an Instagram post criticizing Verstappen over the Brazilian GP incident and accusing Perez of being unfaithful to his wife, Carola Martinez.
“And then cheat on his wife in the evening,” she wrote.
In a since-deleted Instagram comment, Sophie Kumpen appeared to accuse Sergio Perez of cheating on his wife
Kumpen, photographed on a luxury yacht during the Monaco GP, posts photos from around the world as she follows Verstappen as he races
It seems to refer to a now infamous incident after Perez won the Monaco GP in June, after which the Mexican Martinez had to issue a rude apology.
Photos and videos had surfaced of Perez dancing on a yacht with several women, with the 32-year-old seen with his arms wrapped around a blonde.
He was also seen getting close to a brunette as he partied the night away and toasted his win.
It led to the father of three – who has been married to Martinez since 2018 – publicly apologizing after the footage went public, but also appearing to attack the person or people who released the footage.
Sergio Perez is pictured with his wife of more than four years, Carola Martinez, on the F1 grid. The pair have three children together but are ‘stronger than ever’ despite recent scandal
After winning the Monaco Grand Prix in June, Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was spotted getting close to two women in a wild party as he celebrated. He was then forced to make a rude apology on social media after the incident
“I have seen the videos circulating about me and I take responsibility for them,” Perez wrote in a social media post.
“It was a bad party that I couldn’t control at the height of the person I am, but it was just that, a really bad party.
“People close to me know my values and the type of person I am.
“For those who ask me, we are more united than ever, me and my wife, and for those who just want to hurt us, I wish you well,” Perez wrote.
Despite Kumpen’s spirited defense of her son, fans were still angry at Verstappen’s behaviour.
Both his and his mother’s Instagram pages have been flooded with comments criticizing them both, some far too graphic to publish.
‘You are a horrible person. Karma will overtake you and the rest of your dirtbag family,” one particularly scathing user wrote.
Max Verstappen in the photo with his mother Sophie (centre) and sister Victoria. Fans have since flocked to the post, made by Verstappen to wish his mother a happy birthday, to criticize the pair for the original incident and Sophie’s comment about Perez cheating on his wife
Max Verstappen (right), pictured in the garage with officials ahead of the Brazilian GP, defied team orders to let teammate Sergio Perez pass, sparking a storm of controversy
“Bad mothers raise bad children,” another commented on a message Verstappen posted two weeks ago wishing his mother a happy birthday; while another on the same post said, “Instead of attacking the privacy of the people your son works with, you should have instilled in him values like gratitude, loyalty, and teamwork.”
Relations between the two teammates were frosty at best, but Perez signed a two-year contract extension in May that will see him race for the team until the end of 2024.
Verstappen and Red Bull, meanwhile, announced a monster $75 million a year extension until 2028 in March.
The 2022 season concludes on Sunday at the iconic Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi, with all eyes on Perez and Leclerc’s battle for second place.