Jos Verstappen explains Max’s approach to Red Bull team orders. Jos Verstappen commented on some 'famous' episodes involving his son.

No Mercy
One of Max Verstappen’s defining traits has never been ‘clemency’ toward his teammates. Throughout his career, the four-time world champion has almost never agreed to accept team orders requiring him to voluntarily let his garage mate pass, even in situations where he had no standings-related ‘need,’ but his teammate did.

The most famous example is perhaps the São Paulo GP in 2022, when Verstappen, already the world champion, refused to give up sixth place to Sergio Perez, which would have helped the Mexican in his battle for second in the championship against Charles Leclerc. Another notable “no” came in 2015, during his rookie year in F1, when, driving for Toro Rosso, he refused an engineer’s request to let then-teammate Carlos Sainz pass during the Singapore GP.

Jos Verstappen Speaks: “Max Sets Things Straight”
Max’s father, former F1 driver Jos Verstappen, explained these behaviors in an interview with the Dutch site *Formule1*, making it clear that such requests are futile with his son: “Singapore 2015? That was a ridiculous request. Once you start doing that… They know it won’t happen [that Max Verstappen gives up the position, ed.]. We experienced it again in Brazil 2022 when that request came. Max had spoken about it before the trip to Brazil, and they had said they wouldn’t ask him. Then suddenly the question came anyway via radio. Even on that occasion, Max responded very clearly. He leaves no room for doubt, even in this area.”

Jos Verstappen also addressed a question about Lando Norris’s actions during the Hungary GP in 2024. The Englishman, at that time involved in the title fight with Verstappen, followed a team order and relinquished victory to teammate Oscar Piastri, who had earlier lost the lead due to a strategic team decision. “I think McLaren will have regretted it afterward,” commented Jos Verstappen, “but it’s hard to say anything about it because you don’t know what’s happening in that team, what the contract situation is, or what agreements have been made. But if I translate it to Max, I think he would have had a hard time letting his teammate pass. But everyone is different and has to react in the way that suits them best.”