Sergio Perez was surprised to come into the pit so early during Q2

New poor result for Sergio Perez in qualifying. After a mediocre first session (13th fastest time), the Mexican driver failed to make it into Q3 and ended up with the 12th fastest time in that session. Currently 2nd in the drivers’ standings, he was called back to the pit early during the session.

While he was in 5th place after crossing the finish line, his engineers called him to come in four minutes before the end, thinking they could manage the advantage. A strategy that didn’t pay off.

Complicated qualifications

Sergio Perez had not shown confidence in the decision made by his team. “We finished quite early, didn’t we?” he questioned his engineer moments after the request. Ultimately, his fear turned out to be justified. Being the only driver to pit so early, competitors were able to attempt to do better. With a track that got more grip and faster, seven drivers achieved a faster time than his. Due to Carlos Sainz’s penalty, he will start 11th on the grid.

“We had a strategy before the qualifiers with the team,” said the Mexican. “Since we didn’t know this track, we tried this strategy. In hindsight, it is easier to say that it was the wrong decision. Already in Q1, we were lucky to pass because we couldn’t complete our last lap when we went back to the pits. Then, finishing Q2 early as we did meant that there were still improvements on the track. I wasn’t really aware that we would finish so early.”

Difficulties encountered

Before the start of the first sessions in Las Vegas, potential constraints had been highlighted. The race taking place in a desert and at night, temperatures can be very cool when night falls. Another parameter to take into account is that this is the first Formula 1 outing on this circuit. Teams must adapt as they collect data during the practice and qualifying sessions.

These difficult conditions that were feared have finally proven to be real. Sergio Perez explained that he had a lot of difficulty getting his tires up to temperature. “It hasn’t been easy,” conceded the 33-year-old athlete. “I think it showed during the sessions. Some teams were caught off guard, including us. I think tire wear could potentially be very high. There will be a lot of things to watch tomorrow, and we’ll see what we can take from it. I think we should be able to have a much faster race pace than in qualifying, so I hope that will help us progress.”

Lewis Hamilton, who is closely following him by 32 points in the championship, will start just ahead of him.