Sergio Perez Reflects on Heart-Stopping Miami Mishap
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez had a race to forget at the Miami Grand Prix, but one moment stood out for all the wrong reasons – a near collision with teammate Max Verstappen on the very first corner.
Perez, starting alongside Verstappen in P2, got off to a poor start. The Mexican driver later explained the culprit: a lack of grip.
“It was very tricky,” Perez said in an interview after the race. “There was very little grip on the starting grid, and as soon as I let the clutch go, there was wheelspin.”
This lack of traction sent Perez careening towards the inside line, right where Verstappen was positioned for a clean getaway.
“I saw Checo on the right,” said Leclerc, who was starting P3 for Ferrari, “but there was very little grip and he locked up…”
Leclerc braced for impact, but fortunately for all involved, a major incident was avoided.
“I thought we would crash,” admitted Leclerc, “but fortunately for everybody we all got out of that first corner without any damage.”
While the close call didn’t result in a DNF (Did Not Finish) for either Red Bull driver, it did put Perez on the back foot from the very beginning. He ultimately finished the race in P5, a disappointing result for the Red Bull number two driver.
The Aftermath: Blaming the Track or Room for Improvement?
While the lack of grip was a contributing factor, some experts have suggested that Perez might have room for improvement in his starting technique.
Max Verstappen, who stormed to victory in Miami, has a reputation for exceptional getaways. Perhaps some friendly competition within the Red Bull garage can spur Perez to analyze and refine his starting approach.
Looking Ahead
The near-miss in Miami serves as a reminder of the razor-thin margins in Formula 1. Perez will be looking to put this behind him and focus on the upcoming races. With the championship battle heating up, Red Bull will need both drivers firing on all cylinders if they are to seriously challenge Ferrari for the top honors.
