Red Bull boss Helmut Marko claims that Sergio Perez’s crash at the Monaco Grand Prix will cost the team up to $3 million.
According to the Red Bull advisor, the team is set to face financial strain after Sergio Perez’s car was completely destroyed in a crash with Kevin Magnussen on the first lap of the Monaco Grand Prix.
The Haas driver Haas tagged the Mexican – who had started the Monte Carlo race in 16th place – as he made his way uphill after the first corner. Perez’s rear right was struck by the Dane’s front left, propelling him into the barriers in a massive 160 mph crash.
Perez’s Red Bull bounced off the barrier and hit Nico Hulkenberg in the other Haas as his car turned into a pinball before ultimately coming to rest on the street circuit.
Images of the aftermath showed just how much damage had been done as the RB20 was written off with just one wheel left attached. Debris was scattered all across the track which required a 40-minute delay to the race to clean up, while was left of Perez’s car was lifted off the circuit.
The stewards determined that the crash was a racing incident and therefore no further investigation was required. Many were taken aback by his decision, including Red Bull team adviser Helmut Marko, given the severity of the incident.
“It’s another accident in which Magnussen was involved,” the Austrian told Sky Germany. “You should watch the replays carefully. Thank God it turned out well, but it was a very critical situation.
“I was surprised how quickly they put this incident behind them. These are decisions that you can hardly influence. On the one hand, there is the danger and on the other hand, the damage is two to three million [euros]. With the budget regulations, that is a big handicap for us.”
A new angle has shown how dangerous Perez’s crash could have been, making it an extraordinarily terrifying experience. Photographers were forced to find cover trackside as debris was seen flying in the air in one video released by the official F1 account.
Another video showed more photographers running for cover as Perez’s car crashed into the barriers where they were stationed, sending smoke and car parts flying through the air.
Speaking after the incident, Perez, who was thankfully unhurt, hit out at Magnussen and accused him of ‘dangerous driving’.
“It was either contact with my car, with the barrier, there were just simply no room for both cars,” he said. “I think that was some dangerous driving.
“And at some point he had to realise that, you know, I’ve been in that location and many times when you are the car behind, you just have to realise that it’s time to back off, before things get closer to you.
Magnussen, who is currently on 10 penalty points, two short of a race ban, felt Perez should have left him space. However, the Red Bull driver responded and simply couldn’t believe the lack of investigation into the Dane’s role in the crash.
“I’m very surprised that there was no investigation] because the amount of damage and how dangerous the damage was, I’m fairly surprised,” Perez added. “We need to ask for a reason why it’s not been investigated because without an investigation we don’t get a reason why it wasn’t a penalty… I think that was some dangerous driving.”
