Perez had another frustrating weekend at Silverstone
Sergio Perez admits that his British GP was “just a mess” after a gamble on an early switch to intermediate tyres didn’t pay off for the Red Bull Racing driver.
He was eventually classified 17th after a run that has seen him score just a seventh place and two eighths (plus an eighth in a sprint) over the past six race weekends, putting even more of a focus on recent doubts about his future at RBR.
Perez qualified only 19th at Silverstone following a spin in Q1, and with little to lose the team opted to give him new PU elements and a pitlane start.
On the hard tyres he had made little progress when he joined Charles Leclerc, Esteban Ocon and Zhou Guanyu in pitting for inters on lap 20 in the first rain shower.
Unfortunately the track dried quickly and Perez lost 10-12 seconds a lap, and by the time the rain returned the tyres were worn out and he had to make a stop for new inters, so he tumbled further down the order.
“We gambled a bit too early,” he said when asked by this writer about the strategy. “And we were out probably for seven laps and completely cooked the intermediate.
“And then when the rain came, there was no tyre left, and it was just a mess overall. Then we boxed again. We were in the middle of the leaders, and it was very difficult to make any progress. Just not an easy afternoon.”
Perez admitted he came close to coming back in for slicks after realising how much the track had dried.
“It was very, very close,” he said. “I think we were just with our calls a couple of laps late, it’s a lot of seconds. But I guess at the same time we had to gamble from the position we were.
“Probably we were looking for a few points or big points, so we gambled it. But there was no luck today at all.
“And it’s good that there is a bit of a break, so that we can step back a bit and regroup as a team.”
Perez said Silverstone did have its positive side ahead of that planned reset.
“I think looking back at it, we had the strongest Friday in a while,” he insisted. “So I think there’s some light out of the tunnel. At the same time, it’s a very disappointing race.
“Other than that, just making sure that we are in the ballpark with the balance, try to make the progression we need for Fridays, and then things will be a lot better.
“I think it’s a good time to have a bit of a break, and get back our form hopefully for Hungary and Belgium, two very important weekends.”
The latter comment hinted that he is under pressure to get results in the last two races before the summer break. However, he says he’s not worried by the ongoing talk about his future at Red Bull.
“I know where I am in terms of contract and that sort of thing,” he said. “But I cannot let it be a distraction.
“I need to focus on the next two weekends, which are the priority, and together with the team, as a team, to get out of this difficult period.”
Adam Cooper F1 