Sergio Perez had a weekend to forget at the Canadian Grand Prix. After a crash that forced him to retire, it was revealed that he would face a three-place grid penalty at the next race in Spain. It was a tough blow for the Red Bull driver, who also saw his team fined €25,000 for their part in the incident.
Perez’s hopes of making a strong comeback after his early crash at the Monaco Grand Prix were dashed on Saturday during qualifying. He couldn’t make it past Q1, setting him up for a challenging race day. Lining up 16th on a wet Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, his chance to recover and score points evaporated on Lap 53 when he spun off and damaged his car’s rear wing.
Limping back to the pits, Perez’s day was already over, but the bad news didn’t stop there. He was summoned by the stewards for driving a damaged car back to the pits, in violation of Article 26.10 of F1’s Sporting Regulations. This rule mandates that drivers with serious mechanical issues must leave the track as soon as it is safe to do so.
After reviewing video footage, team radio, and in-car video evidence, the stewards handed Perez a three-place grid penalty for the Spanish Grand Prix. Red Bull was also fined €25,000 for instructing him to return to the pits in an attempt to avoid a Safety Car situation. The stewards highlighted the safety risks involved, deeming a sporting penalty necessary.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner acknowledged it was a dreadful weekend for Perez but noted that Ferrari’s poor performance somewhat lessened the blow. ‘That was a horrible weekend for Checo,’ Horner told Sky Sports F1. ‘Obviously we picked up some damage, so he’ll need to come back strong in Barcelona. Thankfully Ferrari had a shocker, so didn’t pick up any points, so that let us off the hook somewhat. But we need both cars scoring.’
Horner remained optimistic regarding Perez’s ability to rebound. ‘What we see with Checo time and time again is that when you think he’s on the ropes, he bounces back. He’s a tough racer and he’s a tough character and it hurts him more than anybody else. He’ll be determined to come back and show everybody the form we know he’s capable of and that he showed in the first four races of this year.’
Perez is currently fifth in the Drivers’ Championship with 107 points, trailing his teammate Max Verstappen by 92 points. The next race in Spain will be crucial for him to demonstrate his resilience and skill.
As Perez looks ahead to the Spanish Grand Prix, it’s clear he has a lot to prove. With a three-place grid penalty and a need to recover from his recent misfortunes, all eyes will be on him to see if he can bounce back and regain his early-season form. The penalties serve as a stark reminder of the high stakes in Formula 1, where every decision can have significant consequences.
Source: Planetf1
