Perez handed Spanish GP grid drop by Montreal stewards

©Formula1

Sergio Perez was hit with a post-race penalty after Sunday’s Canadian GP, having been deemed to have breached the sporting regulations by driving on track with a heavily damaged car.

The Red Bull charger, whose weekend went from bad to worse following his crash on lap 53 of 70, has been handed a three-place grid drop for next week’s Spanish GP in Barcelona.

Running on slick tyres on a damp track, Perez lost control at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve’s Turn 6 and made contact with the barriers. This collision caused severe damage to his car, particularly the rear wing, which became a safety hazard.

Red Bull opted to keep Perez on track and instructed him to limp back to the pits. However, this decision landed the Mexican in hot water with the stewards.

As Perez navigated the circuit with his damaged RB20, further debris were scattered onto the track. This raised concerns from the FIA race stewards who investigated whether leaving the car out constituted a safety violation.

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The FIA ultimately deemed Red Bull and Perez in breach of regulations regarding unsafe cars on track. In addition to Perez’s sanction, Red Bull Racing received a 25,000 euro fine for the infraction.

During their hearing with the stewards, Red Bull admitted they advised Perez to stay out to avoid the deployment of the safety car.

At the time, Verstappen held a comfortable lead over Lando Norris in second place. A safety car triggered by Perez's immediate retirement could have shaken up the race order and jeopardized the Dutchman’s position.

©RedBull

"After making contact with the barriers in Turn 6, the driver continued on track for the remainder of the lap with a significantly damaged car and thereby lost several carbon fibre parts on the way back to the pits,” read a statement from the stewards.

"The team confirmed in the hearing that the driver had been advised to bring the car back to the pits as they were trying to avoid a safety car situation.

"The stewards determine that, as well as a financial penalty for the team, a sporting penalty is necessary due to the safety implications of the incident. The penalty is imposed in line with precedents."

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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.