Sergio Perez nearly took a sensational win for Sauber on this date four years ago. Then competing in his second Formula One season, the Mexican starred in a wild rain-soaked 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix to finish runner-up to Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso.

Perez could have actually won the race had he not run wide while chasing the Spaniard hard. Some actually wondered whether the Ferrari-powered Sauber driver, who was on a faster tyre than Alonso in the closing stages of the race, did not make the mistake on purpose to ensure a Maranello victory. After all, Perez’ radio did crackle in the final laps with the following message: “Be careful, we need this position”…

Julien Billiotte

Recent Posts

Beltoise's one-off masterclass and 'Jour de Gloire'

One-time Grand Prix winner Jean-Pierre Beltoise was born on this day in 1937. The late…

25 minutes ago

Rubber side up: Jos Verstappen’s Sunday somersault in Wallonia

Jos Verstappen’s efforts in this weekend’s  Rallye de Wallonie took a dramatic turn on Sunday…

1 hour ago

Mercedes ‘ticking all the boxes’ but Russell dismisses title hype

Three races into the 2026 season, and Kimi Antonelli and George Russell find themselves in…

2 hours ago

A grid of opportunity: BYD considers leap into Formula 1!

In Formula 1, whispers often travel faster than the cars themselves. And lately, one name…

3 hours ago

How Hadjar engineered his leap to ‘weird’ Red Bull seat

During his 2025 rookie season in F1, Isack Hadjar carried himself with a calm, almost…

5 hours ago

Horner in Jerez: Surprise MotoGP visit sparks ownership rumors

The asphalt at Jerez was already sizzling on Saturday, but the temperature in the MotoGP…

23 hours ago