Perez hit with penalty after Abu Dhabi Grand Prix collision

Sergio Perez was handed a five second penalty by the stewards after an incident with Lando Norris at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Fighting it out in the closing stages of the race, the Red Bull driver clipped the McLaren, forcing Norris to run wide over the kerb and the run-off area.

“Yeah, he just crashed into me,” Norris complained over the radio. “That’s just dangerous driving. He had loads of space.”

Perez, meanwhile, was indignant on the radio, asking: “Why are we given a penalty? I was ahead."

READ MORE: Verstappen sees off early challenge before sealing CRUSHING Abu Dhabi GP win

Perez's penalty was hugely significant

The Mexican driver’s claims fell on deaf ears, as the stewards deemed his actions were unacceptable.

The battle between the two drivers came amid a series of tight battles in the drivers’ and constructors’ standings.

McLaren were fighting to maintain their P4 position in the championship by finishing ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, while Mercedes were in a close fight with Ferrari.

Perez's penalty ended up deciding the fight between Mercedes and Ferrari, as he passed George Russell on the track – which would have handed second in the championship to Ferrari.

However, not even some chicanery from Charles Leclerc could help Perez gain the five-second gap he needed to beat Russell after the penalty was applied, leaving Mercedes to take home about an extra $10m by the barest of margins.

READ MORE: Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix 2023 results: Official times and gaps as Mercedes pip Ferrari despite GENIUS Leclerc call

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