Hamilton attempted an overtake on the Mexican driver Perez at Stavelot, leading to a contact between their cars. Hamilton’s Mercedes’ left front wheel collided with the Red Bull’s sidepod.
This event compelled Perez to drop out from the race, owing to damage to the bodywork and undercarriage. Meanwhile, Hamilton was hit with a 5-second penalty, demoting him from fourth place to seventh in the final tally.
“The damage to my car from Lewis’ contact was severe,” Perez relayed to F1 Flow.com when questioned about his early departure.
“He literally tore up the entire right section of my vehicle. The floor and sidepod suffered damage and that signaled the end. We lost considerable grip because of it.
“I believe he was somewhat rushed. Everyone was rushing to catch up today. It’s quite a brief race. So one needs to assume that level of risk, but it’s unfortunate to have my race disrupted by him.
“He basically lost grip, couldn’t control his car, and crashed into me causing damage to my undercarriage. That was truly unfortunate.”
Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB19, is ahead of Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W14
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / F1 Flow Images
Perez remained firm that he had a high likelihood of a good finish as he began the sprint at the eighth spot. He was poised to overtake Pierre Gasly for third place.
“The race was progressing excellently,” he expressed. “The team devised a smart strategy for recovery. We were on the verge of surpassing Gasly just before the safety car was deployed. So yeah, things were going well. But sadly, it was just too late.”
Perez accepted that visibility was challenging at the start of the sprint, which began after several rounds behind the safety car.
“I was in the eighth position and my visibility was virtually nil. I can’t even begin to picture what the drivers behind me were experiencing. So, I believe the initial laps were quite challenging with visibility. But beyond that, it was manageable,” he expressed.
Perez, who began from the third spot, is eyeing a strong finish in Sunday’s main race prior to the summer hiatus.
“Absolutely,” he stated. “My primary goal is to achieve a solid result tomorrow.
“We will find out the true capabilities of the car tomorrow. So, I’m eagerly looking forward to that and hopefully, we will be able to compensate for today’s lost points.”
Also read:
Hamilton’s penalty too strict, says Wolff, as FIA clarifies decision
Wolff: Mercedes needs to “improve” driver communication in F1 qualifying
Visibility problems in damp Spa F1 sprint ‘worst ever’
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Hamilton-Perez collision
What happened between Hamilton and Perez in the Spa F1 sprint?
Hamilton tried to overtake Perez at Stavelot, resulting in their cars making side-to-side contact. Hamilton’s Mercedes’ left front wheel collided with Perez’s Red Bull’s sidepod, causing Perez to retire from the race due to significant damage. Hamilton received a 5-second penalty for this incident, dropping him from fourth to seventh place.
Who was leading the race before the collision?
Sergio Perez, driving for Red Bull Racing RB19, was leading the race ahead of Lewis Hamilton, driving for Mercedes F1 W14.
What were the repercussions of the collision for both drivers?
Perez was forced to retire from the race because of extensive damage to the bodywork and undercarriage of his car. Hamilton, on the other hand, was given a 5-second penalty that lowered his position from fourth to seventh in the final standings.
What was the initial position of Perez in the race?
Perez began the sprint in the eighth position and was set to overtake Pierre Gasly for the third spot.
What does Perez hope for in the main event on Sunday?
Perez is aiming for a strong finish in Sunday’s main race before the summer break. He hopes to recover the points he lost during the Spa F1 sprint.
What were the conditions like during the Spa F1 sprint according to Perez?
Perez acknowledged that visibility was a significant challenge at the beginning of the sprint. He himself started in the eighth position and could hardly see anything, let alone the drivers behind him.
More about Hamilton-Perez collision
- Hamilton-Perez Spa F1 sprint collision
- F1 Race penalties and their implications
- Overview of Spa F1 Sprint 2023
- Red Bull Racing team’s performance
- Mercedes F1 team’s performance
5 comments
So frustrated to see Perez forced to retire. He was driving so well. the team must be bummed. But yeah, tomorrow is a new day. fingers crossed for a strong finish.
This crash was totally avoidable, man! hamilton really needs to play safe out there. Speed’s good and all, but not at the cost of another’s race. Perez was doing so well. sucks to see him retire due to that.
I’m a fan of Hamilton, but gotta admit he was a bit too aggressive this time. hope he learns from this, can’t be ruining other’s race!
Hamilton’s 5 sec penalty, harsh or not? Gonna cause a lot of debate this one. Still, shouldn’t have been a collision in the first place. hope both drivers come back stronger tomorrow.
Visibility was an issue, everyone saying the same thing. FIA really needs to consider this when scheduling races. Safety first guys!