Sergio Perez faced further embarrassment after photos surfaced of Monaco Grand Prix marshals posing with the wreckage of his RB20.
Perez was involved in a severe crash with Haas drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg on the opening lap.
Perez’s weekend in Monaco was a disaster. The 34-year-old, who won there in 2022, faced yet another disappointment.
After being eliminated in Q1 for the second consecutive year in Monte Carlo, he got caught up in an incident on the first lap, dashing his hopes for a strong recovery.
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The incident occurred when Magnussen tagged Perez’s right rear while approaching Beau Rivage, sending both cars crashing into the barriers at high speed.
Perez’s impact was significant, triggering a red flag. Helmut Marko later estimated the crash cost Red Bull over £2 million.
Adding to the indignity, Monaco GP marshals were seen taking a group selfie with the wrecked RB20 after the track was cleared. Video footage also showed the violent impact of the crash, with debris scattering towards nearby photographers.
Despite the extensive damage, the stewards deemed the contact a typical lap-one racing incident and took no further action.
This decision angered the Red Bull team, who blamed Magnussen for attempting an impossible maneuver.
“If you see my onboard, at no point you see Kevin’s car – not even close to me, alongside me, and you could see that the wall is just getting closer and closer,” Perez stated.
“To keep it flat out, there was only one way out of it, and it was either contact with my car or with the barrier.
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“There was just simply no room for both cars and at some point, he had to realize that – I mean, I’ve been in that occasion – and many times when you are the car behind you just have to realize that it’s time to back off before things get closer to you.”
Marko was also taken aback by the decision, adding: “I was surprised how quickly the incident was put to rest. Firstly, it was dangerous, and secondly, the damage to us amounts to two or three million euros.
“Given the budget limit, this is a real handicap.”