Starting from the fifth position on the grid, Perez had a good start and, in the first corner, tried to overtake pole position Charles Leclerc and his teammate Max Verstappen on the outside. The Ferrari touched his rear wheel, causing him to lift in the air and veer off into the run-off area. Perez managed to return to the pits, but the team quickly determined that the damage was too extensive for him to continue.
Christian Horner, when asked about the incident by Motorsport.com, stated: “I am absolutely devastated to see Checo out in the first corner. He probably had his best start of the season, took advantage of the slipstream from the three cars ahead, and arrived with impressive speed. And you can’t blame him, in his home race, for trying to take the lead of the Grand Prix. I think it can be called a racing incident, because three cars in a corner don’t work, and Charles obviously couldn’t avoid it and braked late. It’s frustrating for Checo and really disappointing for his fans to see him out in the first corner. The team did their best to get him back on track, but the damage to the floor and underside of the car was too extensive.”
After his retirement, Perez visited the pit wall, where he was consoled by his team boss. “It’s a tough moment for him,” said Horner. “It’s in front of his home crowd, and he was very emotional. I just told him, ‘The next race is next week. You’re fighting for the lead in your home race, you wouldn’t be a racing driver if you didn’t try’.”
Horner added: “I think he would have been on the podium for sure. It’s a big loss for him here with a car that was capable of being on the podium.” Horner insisted that Perez and Verstappen would have been allowed to compete against each other. “It would have been a direct fight between the two,” he said.
Perez’s retirement gave Lewis Hamilton, who finished second, the opportunity to reduce the gap in the battle for second place in the World Championship. “He has three races to convert that second place,” said Horner.
