Red Bull driver Sergio Perez will carry a three-place grid penalty into the Spanish Grand Prix next weekend. That’s after the stewards decided he rejoined the track in an unsafe condition in Canada.
Perez lost control of his RB20 – something Jacques Villeneuve says is becoming a trend – on the run into the turn six and seven chicane on lap 53. He slid backwards into the barrier, breaking his rear wing.
Ordinarily, a driver would climb out of the cockpit after such an accident. However, Red Bull instructed Perez to slowly bring his car back to the pits before retiring.
They were wary of triggering yet another safety car, with Max Verstappen leading the race. It would have wiped out his five-second advantage and given his rivals an opportunity to make a free pit stop for fresh tyres.
The stewards didn’t look kindly upon this move, and the subsequent penalty leaves Perez on the back foot heading to Barcelona. He’s desperately trying to escape a wretched run of form that has seen him score just four points in three races.
Martin Brundle ‘forgot’ the Mexican was taking part in the race, such was his anonymity in the midfield. He’d suffered a second consecutive Q1 exit, leaving him 16th on the grid.
Damon Hill praises Helmut Marko after comments about Sergio Perez penalty
Red Bull executive director Helmut Marko was unhappy with the punishment Perez received. He insists that the team couldn’t see the extent of the damage on the car, and told him to box in case it could be salvaged.
He also pointed out that others have driven with ‘dangling parts’ and avoided any such sanction. “Lewis Hamilton once won at Silverstone on three wheels,” he said in reference to the 2020 British Grand Prix, when the Mercedes driver crawled home ahead of Verstappen.
Writing on his X account, 1996 F1 world champion Damon Hill expressed his delight at these comments. He feels Marko is a great character to have in the paddock.
“Just love Helmut,” the former Williams driver said. “He’s a little ray of sunshine.”
Marko features in Mercedes offer to Max Verstappen
As part of his role, Marko heads up the Red Bull driver programme, which has delivered F1 legends and race-winners like Verstappen, Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo. He gambled on Verstappen as a 17-year-old, handing him a seat at Toro Rosso to make him the youngest driver in the sport’s history.
It seems that the two have remained close ever since. Indeed, Marko has apparently promised Verstappen that he’ll leave the team upon request, aware of a clause in the Dutchman’s contracts tying their futures together.
Verstappen’s suitors Mercedes have looked to capitalise. They made an ‘irresistible’ offer that would have seen them hire Marko and also attempt to lure coveted designer Adrian Newey.
But this wasn’t enough to persuade the 26-year-old to walk away. He knows he has a strong chance of becoming a five-time world champion before the F1 rules change in 2026.
It could be a different story in 12 months’ time, though. Verstappen will want to ensure he’s best placed to continue his dominance into a new era, and there’s talk in the paddock that he’ll consider moving on.
The post 'Just love Helmut': Damon Hill praises Red Bull man after what he said about Sergio Perez grid penalty appeared first on F1 Oversteer.