Perez needs ‘great weekend’ after ‘devastating’ home race

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Sergio Perez says he’ll be out at Interlagos this week to make amends for his devastating home race last Sunday in Mexico City.

The Red Bull driver and thousands of his fans suffered their worst nightmare at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez when Perez went all-in at the first corner and made an optimistic move for the lead only to collide with the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.

Perez was able to nurse his car back to the pits but a quick analysis of the damage on his RB19 compelled Red Bull to call it a day, much to the Mexican’s desolation.

Unfortunately, the incident was just another occurrence in a long line of missteps and underperformances by Perez this season.

The 33-year-old is contracted to Red Bull until the end of the 2024 season, meaning his situation is theoretically safe. But a depressing end to his 2023 campaign could send Perez into F1’s winter break with a cloud of doubt hovering over him.

Read also: Horner ‘can’t blame’ Perez for Turn 1 move in Mexico

Perez now hopes that next weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix will finally offer him the opportunity he has been waiting for to shine anew.

“Mexico was devastating for me but in this sport these things happen, and you can’t afford to keep going over what could have been,” he said.

“I wanted to win my home race more than anything but that is gone now and my full focus is on finishing second in the Championship,” Perez said.

“We need to have a great weekend in Brazil and I feel confident in our ability to get results right now.”

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After last weekend’s bust and Lewis Hamilton’s strong run to P2, the Mercedes driver is now just 20 points adrift of Perez in the Drivers’ standings with three races left on the docket.

Perez’s DNF in Mexico was all that more frustrating that he felt that he had made a step forward in Austin where he finished fourth, a performance that set him up nicely for his home event.

“It felt like things were coming together last weekend with the direction we are taking,” he said.

“I am more comfortable in the car, the work the Team and I have put in together is paying off in terms of set up and performance.

“Brazil is a totally different challenge to Mexico but it’s always a fun track and we have two opportunities to score points this weekend, so while Sprint weekends are a challenge on set up, we want to maximise this chance all we can.”

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.