Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz’s dramatic crash on the penultimate lap of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix not only ended their race but also handed McLaren a 20-point lead in the 2024 F1 world championship standings. The collision, which occurred during a fierce battle for P3, left both drivers stunned and disappointed.
Speaking ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, Perez admitted the incident was the result of “wrong moves at the wrong time” and emphasized that placing blame was irrelevant. “In the end, it doesn’t matter who is at fault,” Perez said. “We’re all just trying to do our best out there.”
After the crash, the two drivers found themselves sitting side-by-side in the medical center, hooked up to heart rate monitors, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Sainz described the awkward scene: “We were looking at each other and saying: ‘Mate, what the… happened there?’ I told him, ‘I didn’t do anything to you. I didn’t close you off.’ We were both baffled.”
Despite the high-stakes nature of the incident, Sainz revealed that the tension eventually gave way to laughter, with both drivers shrugging off the mishap. “It was a podium that slipped away, but in the end, we kind of joked about it. No hard feelings between us,” Sainz insisted.
The crash sparked rumors on social media that Perez had aggressively hit Sainz’s helmet or pushed his head in the immediate aftermath, a claim Perez was quick to dismiss. “It looks worse on the video than it actually was,” Perez explained. “Carlos is one of my best mates among the drivers. He’s the last person I’d want to have an incident with.”
Perez also praised his mechanics for their rapid work in repairing his car, hoping to repay their efforts with a strong performance in Singapore. “My team did an incredible job to get the car back in shape,” Perez said. “It shows how hard we’re pushing, and I really want to give them something to celebrate on Sunday.”
Both drivers have moved past the Baku incident and are focused on redemption this weekend. As Perez put it, “We’ve turned the page, and hopefully, both of us can have a tremendous race.” The battle continues, and with tensions high in the championship race, all eyes will be on how these two drivers bounce back from their costly mistake.
