'Thanks for being a great team-mate': Verstappen fulfills helmet promise to Perez
Max Verstappen fulfilled a promise by gifting Sergio Perez a helmet inscribed with 'Thanks for being a great team-mate and friend,' highlighting their mutual respect.
Max Verstappen has fulfilled a long-standing promise to his former teammate Sergio Perez, gifting him a helmet during Perez's 2025 sabbatical. The helmet, which Perez shared on social media, featured a handwritten message from Verstappen: "Thanks for being a great team-mate and friend." The gesture closes a chapter on their heavily scrutinized time together at Red Bull with a note of personal respect.
Why it matters:
In a sport often defined by intense rivalries and media speculation, this personal gesture underscores the genuine respect that can exist between drivers. It serves as a powerful counter-narrative to the years of scrutiny surrounding the Perez-Verstappen partnership at Red Bull, reminding fans that relationships off-track can be far more complex and positive than they appear.
The details:
- The Promise: Verstappen publicly stated he owed Perez a helmet after Perez first gave him one, hoping to deliver it at the Mexican Grand Prix. At the time, Verstappen emphasized their strong relationship despite media narratives.
- A Tough Final Season: Perez's relationship with Verstappen was under a microscope throughout 2024, a difficult season that ended with the Mexican driver losing his Red Bull seat.
- The Teammate Challenge: The struggles of subsequent Red Bull drivers, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, alongside the four-time world champion highlight the immense pressure of being Verstappen's teammate.
- The Comeback: Perez is set to return to the grid in 2026 with the new Cadillac team. He has stated he wants to "finish [his career] on a high" and prove he is still highly competitive.
What's next:
All eyes will be on Perez as he prepares for his 2026 comeback with Cadillac. The Mexican driver has expressed a strong desire to end his career on his own terms and prove his doubters wrong. His performance with the new American outfit, entering F1 amid a major regulation change, will be the ultimate test of whether he can rediscover his top form.