Sergio Perez Hit with Grid Penalty After Montreal Mishap, Red Bull Fined

Montreal, June 9, 2024 — Sergio Perez’s troubled weekend at the Canadian Grand Prix took another hit yesterday as he was handed a three-place grid penalty for the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix. The penalty was imposed after he was judged to have driven back to the pits with a “significantly damaged car” following a spin on Lap 53.

Perez’s race in Montreal went from bad to worse after he spun off and damaged his rear wing. Though he managed to make it back to the pit lane, he was forced to retire. The incident resulted in a stewards’ inquiry post-race, where it was concluded that Perez had lost several carbon fibre parts on his way back to the pits.

The stewards’ decision was firm: “After making contact with the barriers in Turn 6, the driver [Perez] continued on track for the remainder of the lap with a significantly damaged car and thereby lost several carbon fibre parts on the way back to the pits.”

Red Bull, aiming to avoid a Safety Car deployment that could have jeopardized Max Verstappen’s race-leading position, instructed Perez to return to the pits despite the damage. As a consequence, the team has been fined €25,000.

The official statement from the stewards emphasized the safety concerns, stating: “The team confirmed in the hearing that the driver had been advised to bring the car back to the pits as they were trying to avoid a Safety Car situation. The Stewards determine that, as well as a financial penalty for the team, a sporting penalty is necessary due to the safety implications of the incident.”

This penalty compounds a disappointing streak for Perez, who has struggled in recent races. Despite his recent contract extension with Red Bull, he has failed to score points in the last two Grands Prix.

His woes began in Monaco, where a first-lap collision forced him to retire. Poor qualifying performances have compounded his troubles, having started from 16th position in both Monaco and Montreal.

Reflecting on his latest setback, Perez said before the penalty announcement, “I did a mistake going into Turn 6, I just touched the wet patch and once you do that it’s really game over, and unfortunately that’s what happened. Very tough weekend, but I think there is a long season ahead and we will be back to our form that we had earlier.”

Despite Verstappen’s victory in Canada, Red Bull’s weekend was marred by Perez’s misfortune and the subsequent penalties. As the team looks ahead to the Spanish Grand Prix, they will need to address these challenges to maintain their lead in both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships.