Red Bull hire bodyguards for Max Verstappen as Mexican GP organisers issue appeal
Red Bull have been forced to take action to protect Max Verstappen ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen wins third consecutive Formula One world championship
Max Verstappen will have two bodyguards with him at the Mexico Grand Prix this weekend, Helmut Marko has revealed. The Red Bull star was jeered following his victory at the US Grand Prix and chants of ‘Checo, Checo’ drowned out the Dutch national anthem as the supporters made their feelings clear.
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Verstappen has enjoyed plenty of success in America over the years, but Sergio Perez has surprisingly remained a fan’s favourite in Texas. The struggling star is expected to receive further support now returning for his home race in Mexico.
Verstappen’s superiority has prompted conversations about whether Perez is capable of helping the 26-year-old reach his true potential and enjoy a dominant reign in Formula One. Currently, all suggestions point towards Red Bull considering allowing Perez to leave his contract a year early so that they can sign a new top driver to take their second seat.
The tension has prompted further ill-feeling towards Verstappen, leading to Red Bull taking action and ensuring that he remains safe whilst at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Speaking about the decision, Marko told F1 Insider: “Max doesn’t actually want that and is relaxed. But we have responsibility for him. So we just want to be on the safe side.”
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The announcement comes shortly after Rodrigo Sanchez, marketing and public relations director of the Mexican Grand Prix, called for supporters this weekend to be respectful of all competitors and prompted #racepect as a social media campaign.
He told Esto: “Based on what we have seen in several races over the past few years, we have created the #racepect campaign. This is not a message to Mexicans or Mexican fans, but simply a call because we have seen unfortunate statements and attitudes in recent years and during the current championship.
"I think that if the drivers do not behave like this next to the track, then we, the ones who are not in the car, should take an example from them and not show certain behaviour. Be an example that F1 can live with a lot of passion but also respect and that it can go very well together. Mexico should be a safe country, where every fan from all over the world is welcomed with open arms.”
It remains to be seen how the crowd receives Verstappen over the weekend and the reaction he receives if the Red Bull continues to shine and adds another victory to his tally.
