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