Mexican former Red Bull Formula 1 driver Sergio 'Checo' Pérez reacted sharply on social media to a meme referencing his time with the Austrian team following Lando Norris's (McLaren) recent world championship win. The 35-year-old driver from Guadalajara reposted from the @F1Trollen account on X with the word “Perhaps” and a laughing emoji to an image where he was at the top, while Thanos, the famous villain from the Marvel saga, was at the bottom with the phrase “Perhaps I treated you harshly.” This reaction quickly caused a stir on the platform, with many users showing their approval for the suggestive post, after Japanese Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda failed to hold off Norris for long enough to help Dutch multi-world champion Max Verstappen secure his fifth title in the top tier of motorsport. In the same vein, netizens began to speculate that the post could be a reference to his great defense in 2021 against Lewis Hamilton, which allowed Verstappen to claim his first world championship and for Red Bull to win another title. Meanwhile, Pérez was cut by the Austrian team for 2025, leaving him without a seat in Formula 1. His place was taken by Liam Lawson, who, after failing to meet expectations, was relegated to Racing Bulls and replaced by the more experienced Tsunoda. In response, Red Bull executives had hoped the Japanese driver could hold off the British Norris for several laps so that Verstappen could be crowned champion, but not only did he fail to do so, he also received a five-second penalty. Lastly, according to the Argentine News Agency, while the Dutchman was victorious in the last three races of the calendar (Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix), it was the Englishman who secured the world championship by just two points.
