F1 fans were quick to criticize Red Bull driver Sergio Perez after yet another disappointing qualifying performance, which saw him finish P15 at the 2023 Austrian GP on Friday, June 30.
Given this is a Sprint weekend, the Mexican driver will have yet another chance to make amends in the sprint race later on Saturday. But a series of lap deletions at the Red Bull Ring will be a sign of concern for him.
In Q2, Sergio Perez got not get a clean lap in as all his three laps, which were good for Top-3, were canceled because of track limit violations.
F1 fans did not show him any mercy on social media, with one fan even comparing him to former Ferrari driver Rubens Barrichello and his well-documented struggles against Michael Schumacher, saying:
“Barricheco is certainly doing his best to get signed into the Chinese F4 championship before Debris”
Here are some more reactions:
Sergio Perez analyzes yet another disappointing qualifying session
For the fourth time in a row, Sergio Perez will start the main race on Sunday outside the Top 10. He stated that He was impeded by another car during the qualifying session which was not looked at by stewards.
Speaking to F1.com, Perez said:
“We were a bit confused, but then once I got the feedback that it was on the way into [Turn] 10, it was all clear and I was on a good lap, but then all of a sudden on my final lap I found, I think, [Alex] Albon. I just went straight, I could not stop. I think I lost a tenth or a bit more than that, just by going straight, but the stewards wouldn’t consider that I was blocked.”
“There’s so many things I can control, and unfortunately, this one you’re closing a good lap and then all of a sudden you are blocked and you have a penalty,” he added.
It will be fascinating to see how Sergio Perez approaches the two standalone events on Saturday in the hope to gather some momentum ahead of the main race on Sunday.
In the previous Sprint weekend, he did showcase his prowess and took the win in the format, which was the catalyst for his victory at the main race in Baku. Perez would hope for something similar on Saturday to rescue another failed weekend.