Perez pleased with F1 return despite "harsh" blue flag penalty

Racing Point driver Sergio Perez was "very pleased" with his result at the Spanish Grand Prix, despite dropping behind team-mate Lance Stroll due to a five-second penalty.

The two Racing Points finished fourth and fifth, albeit a lap down on eventual winner Lewis Hamilton, with Stroll finishing behind Perez.

But the Mexican, on his return after missing two races courtesy of a positive Covid-19 test, was handed a penalty for ignoring blue flags, a punishment he felt was harsh.

He told Sky Sports F1: "I think it was a good race overall for our team.

"I am happy, at least, we didn't lose out with the points because Lance got them. I think the penalty was harsh, you know, I got the call out of nine and into ten.

"Lewis was very fast and the first opportunity I thought of was turn one because the last sector is very narrow, very tight, and you can only go 'too bad'. He is going to lose more time if I give the position there than if you give the position back into turn one.

"I got the penalty so I don't know if something has changed when I was not here, but I have seen a lot more than that and people get away with it.

"I think that was very good for the team. I am very pleased with the result that we got today. A lot of points for the team and I think they have done a great job, with the strategy as well, making the one-stop work wasn't an easy one but pleased with that."

Stroll made a gutsy pass down the inside of Valtteri Bottas into turn one, a move the Canadian said "made his race".

"Before the start, you always try to envision in your mind where you might end up," Stroll explained.

"I assumed if I had a good launch and Max got a good launch, I'd be braking on the outside of turn one. Then I found myself on the inside of Max and the Mercedes so I didn't plan on that, but I am glad I make it stick.

"It was a great race. Fourth was really the maximum we could have done today."

Before you go...

Hamilton breaks podium record with a dominant Spanish Grand Prix victory

MotoGP: Valentino Rossi avoids potentially lethal accident at Austrian Grand Prix

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