Sergio Perez is set for the most disappointing Monaco weekend in his Formula 1 career, with the Mexican starting the race from the back of the grid.
Having entered the weekend hoping to repeat last year’s success, Perez was forced out of qualifying only a few runs into the first session when his car collided with the barriers at Turn 1.
Unable to drive the car back to the pits, Perez had to just watch as every driver on the grid recorded a faster time than him, pushing him down into P20 and delivering a painful blow to his title hopes.
“It [the car] was fine, I was happy with the balance. I was progressing and finding new limits but going into the corner I just lost the rear quite late going into the corner and I became a passenger because it was so late I had nowhere to go,” Perez said after qualifying.
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“I lost the car in turn 1, I was looking for that limit. I could not cut the corner and I ended up touching the wall which is a big mistake from my side and I am very sorry for my team.
“We didn’t make any major changes to setup, I just didn’t expect the car’s reaction and it was too late to correct and got into the wall.”
While the RB19 has given its drivers an impressive ability to easily overtake their rivals, Monaco is famously a tight track with few passing opportunities, putting Perez at risk of finishing outside the points.
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This isn’t the first time Perez has started on the back row in Monaco, beginning the 2012 race in P23, ultimately finishing in P11.
With Perez’s teammate Max Verstappen starting the race on pole, it looks like the Dutchman could build up a substantial lead in the title race, solidifying his position as the lead driver at Red Bull.
Red Bull will be keen to see Verstappen dominate the race, delivering three consecutive victories in the principality, but the Dutchman could face an early challenge from Fernando Alonso, who is starting in P2 and hungry for victory.