Perez frustrated by lack of pace in Canadian GP

In Montreal, Sergio Perez was once again absent from the front runners, the Red Bull driver blaming his subdued performance on his RB19's lack of pace.

For the third consecutive race, Perez failed to reach Q3 in qualifying, a shortfall due in large part to the sessions' tricky and variable circumstances and which left the Mexican a lowly P11 on the grid, just behind the two Ferrari's of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

Like his Scuderia counterparts, Perez had opted for a one-stop strategy and benefitted from not pitting during the race's early Safety Car neutralisattion.

However, P6 behind his Ferrari rivals at the checkered flag was as good as the Red Bull driver could manage, his gap to teammate Max Verstappen in the drivers' standings swelling to a massive 69 points, while Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso – just 9 points behind – is now snapping at Perez's heels in the championship.

"I felt there was a little bit more, certainly, but we just didn’t have the pace today," he said. "We did struggle.

"I think we got hurt massively with the Safety Car – that it came in at the wrong moment for us. Luck is not with us at the moment, but it is how it is."

While luck may have been in short supply lately on Perez's side of the garage, there is no denying that the Mexican's results at the wheel of the fastest car on the grid have been disappointing.

• Read also: F1i's Driver Ratings for the 2023 Canadian GP

In Canada, the six-time Grand Prix winner pointed to a brake issue as a justification for his subdued performance.

"The ride hasn’t been great, so on the braking I think was the biggest thing – and it’s where we think we need to come on top of and make sure we are able to figure out what’s happening and come back strong," he said.

Ahead of last weekend's round of racing Montreal, Perez said that he was determined to recoup his early season form after his disastrous Monaco Grand Prix and his qualifying pains in Spain.

But the Mexican has yet to execute a proper turnaround of his fortunes.

"It’s how it is, but I think it’s something mentally you have to be strong and I’m strong and I know I will overcome this difficult period of basically two races – because Monaco, yeah I did a mistake, it was a bad weekend, but I think without that we had the pace," he reflected.

"But it’s a little bit more frustrating not having the pace."

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