Red Bull have taken security measures ahead of this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix with bodyguards hired to protect Max Verstappen after he was booed in America last week
Following his recent taunt in Austin, Max Verstappen will have two bodyguards at the Mexico Grand Prix this weekend.
At the Circuit of the Americas, the Red Bull driver maintained his American dominance by winning from sixth on the grid. However, when he collected his trophy on the podium, he was jeered. Although teammate Sergio Perez typically has a lot of support in Texas, this weekend’s race at his home track will see even more of it.
This year, Perez has once again found it difficult to compete with Verstappen, and if his performance doesn’t improve, there are rumors that he may lose his race seat. Red Bull has chosen to make sure that their star driver has enough protection in the midst of any potential hostilities.
Helmut Marko has 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.”
Team principal Christian Horner claimed after his latest American success that the negative reception wouldn’t bother the Dutchman. He said: “I don’t think Max is going to get the warmest reception in Mexico! But that’s water off a duck’s back. One year you are the villain, the next year you are the hero.”
Verstappen has won four of the last five Mexican Grand Prix’s with Red Bull particularly suited to the track. The Dutchman has already wrapped up his third straight world championship and looks set to smash numerous records before the season ends.
There had been suggestions that should Perez lose out on second place in the championship, he would be axed. Horner has dismissed those despite the likes of Daniel Ricciardo eyeing the Mexican’s spot.
In a season like this one, it would be amazing if we could finish first and second with this car,” Horner said. “However, there isn’t a pre-mandate on Checo that states you have to place second in order to keep the car for the following year. That has never been brought up.
Before his qualifying and race results soured, the Mexican looked like an early contender for the championship. He had won two of the first four races of the season. In his third season on the team, he has occasionally stood on the podium but has not been able to oppose or even encourage his teammate.