Max Verstappen has confessed he made a promise for former Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez that went unfulfilled before Checo left the team.

Sergio Perez lost his seat with Red Bull at the end of a disastrous 2024 for the Mexican but his two replacements, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, have both failed to challenge Max Verstappen

While Verstappen won the 2024 title, his fourth in a row, Perez slumped to a winless eighth in the standings, playing a part in Red Bull relinquishing its Constructors’ crown. But his replacement, Liam Lawson, lasted only two Grands Prix without scoring a point, while Yuki Tsunoda has mustered just seven points across eight events.