MONTREAL, QUEBEC – JUNE 9: Sergio Perez from Mexico driving the (11) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 watches in the Pitlane before the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on June 9, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Perez maintained his position as the fifth-ranked driver in the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship, trailing behind Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz by just one point. Unfortunately, both Sainz and his teammate Charles Leclerc failed to finish the race, causing a significant blow to the Italian team.
Expressing remorse, Perez took to social media to apologize to his team for letting them down. However, he remained optimistic, stating that they would bounce back from this setback. He acknowledged that there is still a long way to go in the championship.
Starting from 16th position in the Canadian Grand Prix, Perez’s race had a turbulent start when he collided with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, damaging the front wing of his car. Later in the race, he lost control on a wet curb at turn six and hit the barriers, resulting in a broken rear wing. Despite this, he managed to limp back to the pits.
As a consequence of his crash, Perez received a three-place grid penalty for the next race in Spain. The stewards penalized him for not stopping when his car was deemed unsafe according to safety regulations.
Reflecting on his performance, Perez took responsibility for the incident, attributing it to his inability to control the car in wet conditions. He expressed his determination to learn from the challenging past weekends and identified some issues that needed to be addressed. He remained confident that they would regain their previous form and perform well in Spain, as there are favorable tracks ahead.
Christian Horner, the team principal, acknowledged that Perez had a tough weekend and emphasized the need for him to step up his game in Barcelona. He highlighted the importance of both cars scoring points for the team’s success. Horner also noted that Ferrari’s poor performance in the race helped relieve some of the pressure. However, he stressed the importance of Perez returning to his previous level of performance from the Spanish Grand Prix onwards. The next race on the calendar is scheduled for June 23. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin)
