In a surprising turn of events following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Sergio Perez hinted at the possibility of early retirement after feeling unfairly treated during the race. The Red Bull driver, who was involved in a controversial clash with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in the penultimate lap, expressed his frustration after the incident, which ultimately cost him a podium finish.
The incident occurred as Perez and Sainz battled for third place coming out of Turn 2. The collision resulted in both drivers hitting the barriers, bringing out a virtual safety car that remained for the rest of the race. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was quick to place the blame on Sainz, stating, “He [Perez] deserved a lot more. I was just looking at the replay and you can see Carlos start to drift across the circuit. Very disappointing. He should have been on the podium today.”
Horner further emphasized the impact the crash had on Red Bull’s performance: “It has destroyed the race for Checo today, cost us a lot of damage, and obviously vital points in the constructors’ championship.”
Perez, visibly upset after the race, alluded to the emotional toll the incident has taken on him, hinting at the possibility of early retirement. “At some point, you have to ask yourself if this is all worth it. I’ve been giving everything on the track, but it feels like sometimes things just don’t go your way, no matter how hard you try,” Perez said in a post-race interview.
Carlos Sainz, however, defended his actions, claiming that the crash was unavoidable. “I did my normal racing line,” Sainz explained. “I didn’t do any strange maneuver. For some reason, we collided. I think Checo had plenty of space to the left.”
Despite the frustration and controversy surrounding the clash, Perez’s words about his future have left fans wondering if the Mexican driver might be considering stepping away from Formula 1 sooner than expected. With tensions running high at Red Bull and increasing pressure on Perez, the coming weeks may reveal more about his decision-making process.
