Sergio Perez says he took responsibility for the pre-race crash which almost prevented him from participating in the Belgian Grand Prix last weekend.
The Red Bull driver lost control of his car at Les Combes during his reconnaissance lap in streaming wet conditions before the race was due to begin. His team only had enough time to repair his car to join the race because the start was heavily delayed due to rain.Perez, whose Red Bull contract extension was announced prior to the race weekend, said he had a brief discussion with the team’s motorsport consultant Helmut Marko following the crash.
“Everything was very intense at the time, we were trying to repair the car,” he said. “We had a brief comment and he didn’t say anything, it was just about the next step which was we were going back to race. We put the big rear wing on the car and we were all pumped up to race and get the result back.
“He doesn’t need to tell me anything, I know what I’ve done wrong. I’ve been long enough in it and I apologised to the entire team for my mistake.”
Although Perez was able to rejoin the race, he was unable to retake his original grid position or pass any cars as the few remaining laps were completed behind the Safety Car. Nonetheless he praised his team for repairing his car.
“In the beginning, it was clear we were not going to make it, when we only had a 10 minute delay. But then it became more apparent and my boys were all pumped up to go and get the car from the end of the pit lane, to get it back and they were really pushing hard.
“They worked flat-out because we thought, at some point, that we were going to be able to race and from our point of view we were going to start from the back of the grid.
“We put the rear wing on the car and we were ready to go. The boys did an incredible job and it just shows how hungry this team to just go out there and race, it’s full of racers.”
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2021 Belgian Grand Prix
- Spa spectators who saw no racing offered prize draw for 2022 tickets
- ‘Wrong to award points for a couple of laps behind the Safety Car’ – Horner
- Hamilton offers “exclusive gift” to fans who attended Belgian GP wash-out
- Change rules to give points for qualifying if race can’t happen – Seidl
- “I apologised to the entire team for my mistake” – Perez
dutchtreat (@dutchtreat)
3rd September 2021, 9:14
I dare say that was not a mistake but utter stupidity. No downforce, no grip, loose the front on the yellow (slippery paint) of the curb. (unless I didn’t see it right…)
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
3rd September 2021, 9:58
He better apologise, I’m still convinced it was the wrong decision to extend his contract, and I’m one of those who were advocating the most for him to go to red bull, but he’s proved no better than bottas, a 2nd rate driver.
Dave
3rd September 2021, 10:42
So his time’s over.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
3rd September 2021, 13:13
Well, unfortunately they extended perez’s contract, so I’m afraid we won’t have a proper 2nd driver in red bull next year either.
F1.Fan (@f1-fan)
3rd September 2021, 13:58
@esploratore1 While I share your feelings, I have to remind you of Danny Ric. Last year, by the vast majority of fans here, he was considered to be pretty much on VER-HAM level or at least the next best. PER is struggling to adapt to that RBR as much as RIC does in that McLaren. There is no way that they forgot how to drive or to deliver, something else must be going on. Next year, after the proper winter testings that these guys didn’t have this year, and of course after the input they will give to their teams for the new car, it will be safer to judge them. It doesn’t matter what VET or SAI do, because they are on different cars and we have no way of knowing how easy or difficult these cars are in terms of adapting. I haven’t read a single bad thing for RIC, so for now, I think it’s unfair to focus all the critisism on PER and leave RIC outside.
Vazquez
3rd September 2021, 22:37
Bravo! at last a comment about how difficult it is to adapt to a car, rather than pure driving.