Sergio Perez was handed a three-place grid penalty for running a severely damaged car at the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday.
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was hit with a three-place grid demotion for the upcoming Spanish GP in Barcelona next week after he continued running a significantly damaged car during the Canadian Grand Prix.
The Mexican’s weekend took a turn to the worst after he crashed on lap 53 of 70 and his car sustained considerable damage from making contact with the barriers at Turn 6.
However, he continued to drive around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve at a reduced pace with the damaged wing hanging precariously off the back of his car and losing a number of carbon fiber parts on his way back to the pits.
This presented a significant danger to others and raised concerns from the FIA race stewards who investigated whether leaving the car out constituted a safety violation.
Red Bull acknowledged to the stewards that the team had made the decision to reduce the likelihood that a Safety Car would make its appearance and ruin Max Verstappen’s advantage.
After reviewing the video evidence, team radio, and in-car film, the stewards made the decision to fine Red Bull €25,000 and hand Perez a three-place grid penalty for the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix. The stewards highlighted that safety concerns was the main reason for the penalties.
“After making contact with the barriers in turn six, the driver continued on track for the remainder of the lap with a significantly damaged car and thereby lost several carbon fibre parts on the way back to the pits,” a statement from the stewards read.
“The team confirmed in the hearing that the driver had been advised to bring the car back to the pits as they were trying to avoid a Safety Car situation.
“The stewards determine that, as well as a financial penalty for the team, a sporting penalty is necessary due to the safety implications of the incident. The penalty is imposed in line with precedents.”
It was an immensely challenging weekend for Perez in Canada, especially after it was announced that he signed a two-year contract extension with Red Bull. He crashed into the wall during the qualifying session and was unable to advance past Q1.
The 34-year old suffered even more setbacks during the race besides coming into contact with the barriers . His front wing was damaged in an early collision with Pierre Gasly’s Alpine and despite the fact that the mechanics fixed the wing during his first pit stop, the main issues stemmed from the challenging track conditions and the car’s overall handling.
“Touching with Pierre affected the entire race,” Perez said after the race. “In the first stint, I had a damaged wing. We changed it, and it was better, but overtaking was very difficult.
“It was necessary to take a lot of risks in the wet area. I was catching up to [Daniel] Ricciardo, but I made a mistake in Turn 6. I couldn’t stop the car. I was one of those drivers who, in a very difficult situation, made a mistake.”
Teams can no longer afford to lose points as the championship gets more and more competitive. Given that Red Bull has not been performing at its standard level lately, it is imperative for them to quickly comprehend their recent struggles to regain their dominance.
