Karun Chandhok had to clear the air after an interview misunderstanding at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
- Chandhok’s comment about Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo possibly being teammates was misinterpreted.
- The remark led to a social media stir, with Sergio Perez’s fans taking offense.
- Chandhok apologized, explaining the conversation was about the Goodwood Revival, not F1.
- Sergio Perez is focusing on upcoming Grand Prix races amid contract speculation.
Karun Chandhok found himself in the spotlight after an interview at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where Red Bull celebrated its 20th anniversary. The event was buzzing with the presence of F1 stars like Sergio Perez, Max Verstappen, and Daniel Ricciardo, who were there to show off some vintage Red Bull machinery.
During a public interview, Verstappen joked about the fun of teaming up with Ricciardo for the RAC Tourist Trophy, saying, “Maybe together with Daniel, it’d be good fun in one car,” and followed it with a playful glance at Ricciardo. Chandhok chimed in with, “Oh, you two could be teammates!” However, the camera framed Perez, standing nearby, and rumors quickly swirled about potential team changes at Red Bull.
Fans of Sergio Perez took this comment seriously, interpreting it as a slight against the Mexican driver, especially since there has been ongoing speculation about Perez’s position at Red Bull. In response to the backlash, Chandhok took to social media to apologize to Perez’s fans, clarifying that his comment was strictly related to the fun atmosphere of the Goodwood Revival event, not a suggestion about F1 team dynamics.
Chandhok’s message stated, “To all the fans of Sergio Perez, I apologize if you felt I was being disrespectful to Checo during the Goodwood Festival of Speed. If you watch the full video instead of just the small edit that seems to be online, you’ll see we are talking about Goodwood Revival and NOT F1.” He also expressed disappointment over the backlash, adding, “The level of trolling and abuse in the last 4 days from Checo’s fans who have not understood the full story is a real shame. I hope this clears up the matter.”
Meanwhile, Sergio Perez remains focused on his performance on the track. He acknowledges he needs to improve over the next few critical race weekends to maintain his spot at Red Bull. He’s trailing his teammate, Verstappen, by 137 points and must stay within 100 points to avoid a contract clause that could lead to his replacement. Despite recent setbacks, Perez is optimistic: “I think there’s some light at the end of the tunnel, we had our strongest Friday for a while.” Keeping his eyes on the upcoming races in Hungary and Belgium, he emphasized the need to prioritize these challenges and not let external distractions disrupt his concentration.
Karun Chandhok has clarified the misunderstanding, while Sergio Perez focuses on proving his worth in upcoming races.