Breaking news
Formula 1
Perez hopes Ocon "intelligent enough" to change attitude
Sergio Perez says he hopes teammate Esteban Ocon is "intelligent enough" to understand what he did wrong in their crash in Baku and change his approach to racing.
Jonathan Noble
Edited: Jul 6, 2017, 12:40 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The Mexican was battling his teammate for a potential podium spot in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix when they came to blows after a safety car restart – with the Turn 2 incident damaging both cars and forcing them into the pits for repairs.
Perez is adamant that the clash was avoidable, but sees no need for his team bosses to step in and dictate new rules of engagements.
Instead, he thinks the only thing that needs to be changed is Ocon's mindset of how he goes racing.
"I think more than a rule book is just making sure that with Esteban we are free to race, but what racing means," said Perez ahead of the Austrian GP.
"If they tell you you are free to race, but you just push your teammate in the wall, then that is not the right way forward.
"I expect him to be intelligent enough to understand what he did wrong and change a bit his attitude for the benefit of the team."
He added: "Simply, Esteban has to understand what racing means. Racing means just racing another car, not crashing into the other car. I think pretty much all the teammates on the grid are free to race and obviously with respect to the other car and to the other rivals.
"In four years with Nico [Hulkenberg] we never had an issue and were free to race. We had big battles on track but we were always free to race. I think as along as Esteban understands what racing means then that should be clear."
Avoidable crash
Perez says that the Baku incident was especially frustrating because he conceded Ocon had already got past him, so there was no need for the Frenchman to squeeze him out.
"The move was already done," he said. "I don't think we can blame the kerb because we were already in a straight line and we touched in a straight line. He was already ahead of me and he just didn't leave enough room. He already did the move.
"There was no need for the contact. I don't think you have to be a genius to understand what happened."
Perez has not spoken to Ocon since the incident, but made it clear how unhappy the team was at the missed opportunity of Baku, especially after the controversy between the pair in Canada when Ocon was unhappy at losing the chance of a podium shot.
"I think what happened in Baku was totally unacceptable from the team point of view," he explained.
"In all my experience I have had with teammates, the competition has been really intense between teammates but never to that extent, never to just unnecessarily crashing into each other.
"I gave enough room for him to do the manoeuvre. He was already ahead, so there was no need to ruin our races. And, at the end of the day, it is the team who paid the price."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article New recruits boost Sauber's technical team
Next article Ocon: Force India agrees Baku clash "not only my fault"
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jonathan Noble
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
Formula 1
Formula 1
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Formula 1
Formula 1
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress
Formula 1
Formula 1
Australian GP
Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress
More from
Sergio Perez
Cadillac’s F1 brakes are still a problem: ‘I had to lift and coast on lap two’
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Cadillac’s F1 brakes are still a problem: ‘I had to lift and coast on lap two’
“Am I confident? Probably not” – The unprecedented challenge Singapore is throwing at F1 drivers
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
“Am I confident? Probably not” – The unprecedented challenge Singapore is throwing at F1 drivers
Lewis Hamilton: Younger F1 drivers are “more and more cautious” about racing in rain
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Lewis Hamilton: Younger F1 drivers are “more and more cautious” about racing in rain
More from
Force India
Otmar Szafnauer reveals failed Kimi Raikkonen bid involving "Angry Birds" founders
Formula 1
Formula 1
Canadian GP
Otmar Szafnauer reveals failed Kimi Raikkonen bid involving "Angry Birds" founders
Esteban Ocon explains why he collided with Sergio Perez so often at Force India
Formula 1
Formula 1
Esteban Ocon explains why he collided with Sergio Perez so often at Force India
Former Force India F1 boss Fernley dies aged 70
Formula 1
Formula 1
Austrian GP
Former Force India F1 boss Fernley dies aged 70
Latest news
Ricky Stenhouse explains his side of Michael McDowell conflict
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
3 h
Ricky Stenhouse explains his side of Michael McDowell conflict
Barnes: Why IndyCar’s updated licensing system fails its own integrity test
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 4 h
Barnes: Why IndyCar’s updated licensing system fails its own integrity test
Why NASCAR is not penalizing Stenhouse, McDowell for post-race theatrics
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
5 h
Why NASCAR is not penalizing Stenhouse, McDowell for post-race theatrics
Dale Jr. explains why he doesn't use 'Earnhardt' in his signature
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup 6 h
Dale Jr. explains why he doesn't use 'Earnhardt' in his signature
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe