Sergio Pérez believed he was on course to break into the points during last Sunday’s British Grand Prix only for the intervention of the safety car to ruin his afternoon at Silverstone.
The Racing Point F1 Team driver was left to reflect on what might have been during Sunday’s fifty-two lap race, with the Mexican having a very strong first stint to put him into contention for a top ten result, having started the day fifteenth on the grid.
However, Antonio Giovinazzi’s spin into the gravel trap brought out the safety car just after he had made his pit stop, and an issue during the period behind the safety car affected his steering wheel and his braking, meaning he was unable to avoid a collision with Renault F1 Team racer Nico Hülkenberg just after the restart, necessitating in a second stop for a new front wing.
The time he lost left him at the rear of the field, a position he would unfortunately retain until the chequered flag, meaning it is now six races without a point for Pérez – the longest run aside from the two Williams Racing drivers – with the Mexican remaining thirteenth in the Drivers’ Championship as a result.
“We were very unlucky,” said Pérez. “The first stint was very strong – I was managing my race, looking after the tyres and we were on course to score some points.
“Then, the safety car came out just after I had pitted and that’s what ruined my race. During the safety car period I also had an issue with my steering wheel, which affected the brake balance and meant it was too far forward. That’s why I ended up hitting Hülkenberg because I couldn’t stop the car enough; I damaged my front wing and dropped down to last.
“I cannot believe the tough luck we had. It’s so disappointing because we deserved a big result in our home race and we had the speed in the car to score points.”
