F1 News: Perez Reveals What Went Wrong In Qualifying 'Disaster'

Sergio Perez experienced a significant setback during the Monaco Grand Prix qualifying, attributing his poor performance to traffic and debris on the track.

May 5, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Red Bull Racing driver Sergio Perez (11) arrives in the paddock before the Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Sergio Perez's weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix turned sour during the qualifying rounds, where he faced unexpected challenges that significantly hampered his performance. The Red Bull driver, typically known for his skill in navigating tight street circuits, found himself eliminated in Q1, finishing in an uncharacteristic 18th position. This disappointing outcome marks another difficult year for Perez at this iconic circuit, renowned for its narrow racing conditions and minimal overtaking opportunities.

The trouble began early in the weekend during the free practice sessions when Perez and his team struggled with the RB20's setup. Despite efforts to tweak and improve the car to allow it to conform to Monaco's kerbs and bumps, Perez continued to face difficulties, notably during the crucial qualifying session. Heavy traffic and track debris became critical setbacks, costing him essential time. In a moment of sheer frustration, Perez described the session as a "disaster," highlighting the pileup of complications that led to his low grid position. 

"A disaster, because, firstly, on my lap, I got into a lot of traffic into six, into seven, and then were some stickers laying down on the apex of turn eight, so I had to avoid all of that, and I ended up losing a couple of tenths that would have been enough to get through," he said, as quoted by GPBlog.

Perez lamented:

"We've been struggling all the weekend through. Like, we could not really get on top of what we've been doing with the car. We've been changing a lot. And we just couldn't get in the rhythm in qualifying.And that meant that we were just quite far off initially," he told the Sky Sports F1 broadcast.

"And then on my final lap, when things were looking good, I encountered traffic. Into [Turn] six into seven and those couple of tenths were enough to I mean, I think I was half a second off from P1. So The margins were extremely, extremely tight out there."

Adding to his woes, Perez pointed out that the advancements made to the RB20 before qualifying were insufficient. Reflecting on the morning’s practice session, where he managed a promising fifth place, he noted:

"Yeah, I mean, this morning we were finding the light. I was P5, and we made some more changes, but unfortunately, there were not enough to come through, and It hurts a lot. I think just putting a normal lap in would have been enough. But with the traffic that we encountered, it was really difficult."

While Perez struggled, the rest of the qualifying session painted a broader picture of challenges.. Q1 was busy with an early rush of drivers hitting the track, leading to disruptions and an incident involving Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon, set for a post-session investigation by the stewards. Moving forward, Q2 and Q3 displayed a mix of setbacks and achievements among the drivers, with Charles Leclerc overcoming pedal box issues to clinch pole position despite ongoing challenges faced by others, including Perez's teammate Max Verstappen who reported persistent issues with the RB20, finishing P6.

Looking ahead, the prospects for Perez and Red Bull appear grim for the race day, given the notoriously difficult overtaking nature of the Monaco track. The team will need to rely heavily on strategy and possibly changing race conditions to salvage anything from a weekend that has started under such inauspicious circumstances. Perez’s ability to navigate these challenges will be crucial in the battle to maintain his seat in Milton Keynes.