Breaking news
Formula 1 Spanish GP
Perez feels Spanish GP penalty was "very unfair"
Sergio Perez has called his penalty for ignoring blue flags during the Spanish Grand Prix unfair as he felt he allowed Lewis Hamilton to lap him at an opportune moment.
Haydn Cobb
Edited: Aug 16, 2020, 5:24 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
On his first Formula 1 race back since testing positive for COVID-19, the Racing Point driver was handed a five-second time penalty for ignoring blue flags shown to him, instructing him to allow race leader Hamilton to lap him, but the Mexican driver has argued his position which ultimately cost him fourth place to teammate Lance Stroll.
Hamilton, who lapped every driver apart from Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas in the race, came up behind Perez around the twisty final sector of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with the Racing Point driver opting to allow Hamilton to lap him at the start of the next lap on the main straight.
The FIA stewards handed Perez a five-second time penalty during the race which meant Stroll moved ahead of him in the final classification to claim fourth place, with Perez pushed back to fifth.
"I don't understand where I should have moved, Hamilton got to me very late in the lap and then in the final sector it is very tight, very narrow, so I don't have anywhere [to go]," Perez told Sky Sports F1.
"It would have been very unsafe for me to do something there but still I got the penalty. I feel it was very unfair but it is how it is.
"I am happy that at least we didn't lose out with the points because Lance got them but I think the penalty was harsh.
"I got the call out of [Turn] nine, and into [Turn] 10 Lewis was very fast so the first opportunity I thought I had was Turn 1 because the track is very narrow and very tight so it can only go badly.
"So I thought he was only going to lose more time if I give the position there rather than waiting and giving him the position into Turn 1.
"I got the penalty so I don't know if something changed while I was not here but I have seen a lot worse than that and people get away with it."
Despite his penalty, Perez was pleased to see Racing Point move up to third place in the F1 constructors' standings even with its 15-point deduction following its FIA brake duct design case.
The Silverstone-based squad is now one point in front of McLaren in fourth and two points ahead of Ferrari in fifth.
"I think it was for the team and I am very happy with the result we got today as it was a lot of points for the team," Perez said.
"I think they have done a great job with the strategy as well making the one stop work wasn't an issue so I am pleased with that."
Racing Point was once again given a reprimand after the race for its running its controversial brake ducts at the Spanish GP.
AlphaTauri's Daniil Kvyat was also handed a five-second time penalty for ignoring blue flags during the Spanish GP.
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 Vettel on his risky strategy: "We had nothing to lose"
Next article Verstappen explains radio outburst over Spanish GP strategy
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Haydn Cobb
McLaren to use final 2026 developments to test 2027 F1 car concepts
Formula 1
Formula 1
McLaren to use final 2026 developments to test 2027 F1 car concepts
Christian Horner opens up on Red Bull F1 exit: “Perhaps it was perceived I had too much influence over the team”
Formula 1
Formula 1
Christian Horner opens up on Red Bull F1 exit: “Perhaps it was perceived I had too much influence over the team”
More from
Sergio Perez
Sergio Perez: Debut Cadillac season "without a doubt one of my best years"
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
Sergio Perez: Debut Cadillac season "without a doubt one of my best years"
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
Latest news
Frankie Muniz offers new details on 2027 NASCAR plans
NASCAR Truck
NSTR NASCAR Truck
Talladega
13 min
Frankie Muniz offers new details on 2027 NASCAR plans
Joan Mir remains on the sidelines as Honda forced to race with one rider in Australia
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
25 min
Joan Mir remains on the sidelines as Honda forced to race with one rider in Australia
The figures that show Mercedes has lost its supremacy in F1 2026
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
1 h
The figures that show Mercedes has lost its supremacy in F1 2026
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