Sergio Perez had a tough time during the qualifying session at São Paulo, citing ‘confusion’ within the Red Bull team as a factor. Despite a promising start in SQ1 with a faster time than his teammate Max Verstappen, Perez struggled in SQ2, missing out on a spot in the top-10 shootout.
There were hopes that a change to a former chassis might improve Perez’s performance, but it was not enough to keep up with the evolving track conditions. While Verstappen quickly secured his spot in the final session with just one lap, Perez was unable to do the same.
Perez explained that they faced balance issues and understeer in SQ2, trying to make adjustments with the available tools. He also mentioned that there was confusion about the program, with the team suggesting a possible second lap that did not materialize in time.
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko attributed Perez’s elimination to the decision to do only one lap, which ultimately proved to be insufficient. This left Perez starting 13th on the grid, setting up a challenging race ahead for him.
The Mexican driver will need to regroup and refocus for the sprint and main race to make up for the disappointing qualifying result. With the support of the Red Bull team, Perez will aim to showcase his true potential and bounce back from this setback in São Paulo.
