The Red Bull team is no longer the Constructors’ Cup Leaders. McLaren has finally dethroned the reigning champions. However, the deposing could have been avoided if Sergio Perez hadn’t hit the wall. The Baku circuit, known as Checo’s fortress, ended on a sour note for him. The Mexican racer’s dream was crushed with debris from his F1 car scattered across the track with only two laps remaining.
Perez was on turn 2 with Carlos Sainz in front of him. The RBR racer decided to make a move but instead made contact with SF24’s rear end. The contact sent both racers into the dirt, and the cars were completely destroyed. It infuriated both the racers, as they were robbed of a well-deserved podium finish. After the incident, Checo shared his thoughts and detailed the entire mishap as it unfolded.
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Sergio Perez expressed his frustration over the weekend’s events, acknowledging how both he and his team faced a disastrous outcome. He detailed the incident, noting that the collision occurred with minimal space between the cars. As they exited Turn 2, there was only about a meter between them, but contact happened almost immediately. Perez understood that Carlos Sainz was attempting to follow Charles Leclerc’s tow, which led to the rapid contact. He mentioned that Sainz’s increased speed and subsequent movement caused contact with his front right tire.
Regarding his discussion with Sainz post-incident, Checo felt that the Spaniard might not have been fully aware of his presence at that moment. He reiterated his disappointment that despite having a meter of space between the cars at Turn 2, they still managed to make contact within just a few meters.
When addressing the multiple run-ins with Sainz throughout the Baku race weekend, Perez expressed regret, emphasizing that Sainz was the last driver he wanted to have an incident with. He lamented that the clash ruined both of their weekends.
Christian Horner Dubs Perez-Sainz Crash s ‘Very Expensive’ For Red Bull
During an interaction with DAZN, Christian Horner analyzed the incident, noting that Carlos Sainz had gained a strong position on Charles Leclerc, which he capitalized on. Horner reviewed the replay and observed that Sainz’s move towards Sergio Perez, as seen from the wall, ultimately led to the collision that ended the race. This crash was costly for Perez and the team, as it involved significant damage and expenses, impacting their standing in the Constructors’ World Championship.
Horner also expressed disappointment over the outcome for Sergio Perez, who had been driving exceptionally well. He pointed out that Perez was fast and could have significantly impacted the race. However, he lost valuable time to Lando Norris, who was holding him back. Without this setback, Horner believed that Perez might have managed to undercut Oscar Piastri and potentially secured a victory.