Sergio Perez left disappointed with ‘awkward’ Spanish GP qualifying session


Sergio Perez left disappointed with ‘awkward’ Spanish GP qualifying session

With the qualifying session having come to an end, drivers have opened up with their thoughts on how it went for them. Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez has also commented on how the session passed.

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The session was topped by Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari, who has looked to be sat upon a mountain the whole weekend in terms of one-lap pace, having also set the benchmarks in all 3 of the practice sessions. He was followed up by Pérez’s Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen almost 3 and a half-tenths back, despite having a DRS issue on his final run. Then came hometown hero Carlos Sainz, and he was followed by George Russell’s Mercedes and then came Sergio Pérez, with Lewis Hamilton to accompany him on the third row of the grid.

Understandably, Pérez was left dissatisfied with the session, and expressed his displeasure at only having started on the third row.

Talking to Viaplay, Sergio said: “I think there could have been more in it, especially in my last run in Q3.”

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Also Read: Spanish GP 2022: Juri Vips to replace Sergio Perez in FP1 session in Barcelona

An Awkward Session for Sergio Perez

Pérez gave a final verdict for the session: “It felt a bit awkward and not quite right, so, unfortunately, it wasn’t a great lap.” and explained on the radio that there was too much sliding in the first and second sectors of the lap and thought that they went too ‘cold’.

The Mexican driver explained that he and the team tried different things but nothing particularly worked out in the end, and he concurs that it was not an amazing lap. However, the RB18 has looked strong on the long runs and medium tire runs all weekend, so the race victory could be there for the taking for them, especially for Max Verstappen, who will start on the front row.

It will also be interesting to note that 23 of the last 31 race victories in Spain have come from pole position, but Verstappen or even Pérez will be hoping to add to that tally and get their third race victory in a row. Mercedes have also made a bit of a comeback, with George Russell starting on the second row and will be hoping to get the race victory or at the very least a podium, with him reigning supreme in the first sector of the lap, and Mercedes improved performance on the straights.

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After the session, Sergio Pérez took to social media to share a brief outlook for the race today, saying that they have everything in them to compete for the win tomorrow, with a hashtag of ‘Never Give Up’

All of these things set up the promise of an intriguing race tomorrow, which begins at 15:00 track time (GMT+2) and 18:30 IST.

Also Read: “Fuc**ng bottled pole,” Red Bull fans enraged over Max Verstappen’s costly power issue

Also Read: Social media hails Charles Leclerc after claiming pole position in Barcelona: “Qualifying King for a reason”

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