In an eventful race at the Japanese Grand Prix, Sergio Perez found himself at the centre of controversy due to a series of incidents that marred his performance and impacted other drivers.
The Mexican driver’s actions not only affected his own race but also drew criticism from his fellow competitors, particularly Kevin Magnussen.
Perez’s race day took a downward turn as he got entangled in multiple incidents on the track, ultimately leading to his early exit from the race.
One of the most significant consequences of his actions was felt by Kevin Magnussen, who became an unfortunate victim of a mistake made by the Red Bull driver.
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Expressing his displeasure with Perez’s actions, Magnussen stated, “I got hit on the rear tire, it was a pretty desperate move, but it is what it is.
“I got spun around, and then we had to pit – that was too early for the two-stop strategy with the tire degradation that we have on our car.
“It made the situation a lot worse by pitting at that point and I didn’t really want to do a three-stop, so it really ended our race.”
Magnussen’s frustration was understandable as he saw his race compromised due to the collision with Perez.
The incident not only resulted in a spin for Magnussen but also forced an earlier-than-planned pit stop, disrupting his race strategy.
However, Magnussen was not the only driver impacted by Perez’s controversial manoeuvres.
Max Verstappen’s teammate, racing for Red Bull, also found himself in a tight spot as he collided with Lewis Hamilton during the first lap of the race.
Perez himself suffered from the repercussions of this incident, requiring a front wing replacement to continue racing.
The incident with Kevin Magnussen, coupled with the damage sustained to Perez’s car, led to the decision to retire the Mexican driver from the race after a pit stop.
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This marked a disappointing end to what could have been a better race for Perez and Red Bull Racing.
With Perez’s failings in Japan, his teammate Max Verstappen now has the chance to seal his third world championship at the Qatar Grand Prix.
Red Bull has already claimed the Constructors’ Championship for a second year running.