Whilst Red Bull Formula One driver Max Verstappen is again enjoying an incredible season of nigh on runaway and unchallenged success, fellow team mate Sergio Perez has again had a season of struggles, and the valid risks he has often taken in an effort to improve his own standing – have a tendency to just backfire on him.
The Mexico City Grand Prix was another race full of mixed emotions for the 33 year old, and returning to home soil, one moment in particular in the race stood out and for those who like a flutter, those who use the likes of bonusfinder.co.uk, would probably never have even laid a small bet on Perez flaming out so quickly in the race.
Perez was defiant after the race as he insisted he was absolute right, and fully entitled, to make his risky move around the outside of colleague Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, but in his bold attempt to try and take the lead at the first corner, he was again left with a feeling of regret as the move was not executed well, and he collided with Leclerc, and sadly his home race was over after just one lap.
He was also incredibly defiant that ‘results will come’ for him if he continues to trust in his own decision making on the track, even though that particular positive mind set is not quite working out well for him at this moment in time.
There is also no doubt, a large portion of regret at play, as Perez must be starting to think (or at the very least starting to be told) that in his search for greater success, he is physically beginning to hamper himself by making such risky, and largely unnecessary offensive moves, and people in the wider world of the sport are now beginning to seriously question his future at the team – as we have also seen a growing number of off track disputes begin to rise when it comes to team instructions between the two as well.
With his pedigree and success, that is not a battle that Verstappen will lose if it transgresses to a flash point. But first, this issue has to be dealt with and Perez was only 0.19 seconds off Verstappen in qualifying, and he certainly had the fans on his side with with 135,000 spectators packed into a crammed Foro Sol baseball stadium, and the vociferous nature of that support for Perez cannot be doubted as Leclerc was subject to booing – when the simple fact is, he was 100% blameless, even Perez did not muddy the waters by even slightly implying his Ferrari rival shared even an iota of blame for the collision.
“The gap was there. I tried to go for the win at my home grand prix. What else could I have done? I went for the gap. I risked it too much, but I wanted the win today. I just wanted to give it all, went for it totally. To end the race on the first lap at your home grand prix is definitely really sad. On the other hand, I’m extremely proud of myself because I gave it my all.”
Verstappen was, shall we say, diplomatic.
“I understand, because it’s his home grand prix, he wants to be on the podium and I fully understand he went around the outside and tried. Looking at the footage, he could have left a little bit more space. But if it would have worked, you look amazing. It was more the excitement of trying to get on the podium. This time it didn’t work out, unfortunately.”
Lewis Hamilton probably summed up the thoughts of most people who were watching the race as Perez attempted the move – “Where’s he going?”
With Daniel Ricciardo returning to the team this season, that adds an extra element to discussions about the future as well, as whilst his return has not been spectacular, after Mexico, Christian Horner explained.
“He fully endorsed the reason why we brought him back. I thought he was outstanding this weekend. Fighting a Mercedes with an Alpha Tauri. A great performance from him and he looked like the Daniel of old this weekend.”
Next season could be interesting for more than one reason.
Perez’s Bold Move Backfires Again As He Seeks Red Bull Improvement
