Jenson Button told to stop complaining
Button accused the Mexican of driving dangerously in the Bahrain Grand Prix at the weekend, after Perez tapped the back of the Briton’s car and broke his front wing.
Yet Watson has said that inter-team rivalry is just part of the sport and that the 33-year-old just needs to get on with it.
“If Perez gives Button a hard time it’s up to Button to come to terms with it," the ex-McLaren man said to BBC Sport.
“If your kid team-mate is pushing you hard, it’s not nice, but it’s part of the game. You have to respond by getting in and doing the best job."
Button is 10 years Perez’s senior and is considered one of the elder statesmen of Formula 1, but the former World Champion is being pushed all the way by his young apprentice in 2013.
The Brit’s best finish this campaign is fifth and he is just three points ahead of the 23-year-old in the drivers’ standings.
However both men are a long way off leader Sebastian Vettel’s 77 points, as the German put the controversy from China behind him to take his second win of the season.
McLaren have struggled to compete this year and find themselves three points behind F1 minnows Force India in the constructors’ championship and sixth in the table overall.