Forward of the System 1 British Grand Prix Pink Bull crew boss Christian Horner famous that Sergio Pérez wanted to “dig deep” to drag himself out of a little bit of a hunch.
Digging within the gravel lure at Copse was in all probability not what the Pink Bull Workforce Principal had in thoughts.
Throughout Saturday’s qualifying session, Pérez was one of many first drivers to make the change from the intermediate compound to a set of slicks, however that delicate tire did Pérez no favors as he shortly discovered himself within the gravel, and out of qualifying.
“I used to be the primary one mainly to get to the slick tire, and as I used to be coming into Flip 9 I downshifted and misplaced the rear of the automobile,” stated Pérez within the crew’s post-qualifying report. “I simply locked up. So I went straight … nevertheless it was fully moist on the surface. My mistake.”
Regardless of his beginning place, down in P19, Pérez hopes he can get again into the factors and reduce the harm for Pink Bull.
“It’s gonna be a really difficult race, an extended afternoon, however I’ve each hope that I can get again to safe some factors and reduce the harm,” added Perez.
Talking with the official F1 channel after qualifying, Pérez went so far as to say that he “let the crew down” along with his mistake at Copse.
“It’s very irritating, it hurts to let your crew down in that method, particularly as a result of we’ve had a very robust weekend so far. Sadly, we didn’t get to indicate the total tempo,” described Pérez.
That mistake got here not solely throughout a troublesome stretch of kind for the driving force however on per week the place that run of poor performances has led to renewed hypothesis about Pérez’s job safety at Pink Bull. Regardless of the announcement of a brand new contract for the driving force which may maintain him in his present seat by means of 2026, his latest struggles have seen extra rumors about Pérez doubtlessly shedding his spot on account of efficiency clauses in his contract.
As at all times, paddock rumors require no less than a wholesome grain of salt or two, however there is no such thing as a denying that Pérez is underneath strain to ship for Pink Bull as they face a possible Constructors’ Championship struggle with groups like Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes.
Seeing Pérez within the gravel isn’t how Pink Bull wished to begin their weekend, as they give the impression of being to remain forward in that struggle.