Max Verstappen believes his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez crashed out of the Mexican Grand Prix because he was overexcited by the prospect of finishing on the podium at his home race.
Perez tried to brake last as he arrived on the inside of the first bend alongside Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the centre and Verstappen on the outside. His Red Bull slammed into Leclerc and leapt into the air before coming down in the run-off area. He managed to crawl round to the pitlane, and Red Bull mechanics soon had him back on the road, but they threw in the towel after only five more laps.
Verstappen went on to win his 51st race as Perez watched on from the garage.
“I mean, I understand because it’s his home Grand Prix,” Verstappen said, assessing the crash. “You want to be on the podium, I fully understand that.
“He went around the outside, and he tried. Looking at the footage, I think he could have left a little bit more space, but at the other end if it would have worked, you know, you look amazing. And of course, I think it’s just more like that excitement of wanting to be on the podium and this time it didn’t work out, unfortunately.”
Verstappen added: “At the time, I didn’t really see a lot. At one point, I just saw that a car was a bit flying in the air, but then I saw the footage after the race and then you can comment on it. But while driving it’s a bit hard because I was mainly focusing on Charles, because I couldn’t see what was happening on the outside.”
Perez’s position at Red Bull has come under scrutiny in recent weeks and his performance in Mexico will only have added to speculation that his seat may be going to Daniel Ricciardo next season.
Perez last won a race in Azerbaijan on 30 April, and his failure to finish at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez leaves his second place in the championship under threat from Hamilton. Indeed, the seven-time world champion reduced the gap from 39 points to 20 with his strong display.
TOP-10 - MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX
1) Max Verstappen
2) Lewis Hamilton (+ fastest lap)
3) Charles Leclerc
4) Carlos Sainz
5) Lando Norris
6) George Russell
7) Daniel Ricciardo
8) Oscar Piastri
9) Alex Albon
10) Esteban Ocon
Perez told DAZN after the race: “I’m sad without a doubt because today was my opportunity. I had a very good start and I was only thinking of winning the race. I didn’t want to be on the podium. I’ve been on the podium two years in a row.
“I saw the opportunity and I went for it. In hindsight, I took a risk, but if I had pulled it off I would have come out of Turn 1 in the lead. I didn’t expect Charles to brake so late since he was the car in the middle. He had a lot less margin than Max, who was on the inside, and I was the one who could brake the latest because I was on the outside.”
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