Perez urges Red Bull improvent after Miami survival

Perez, Horner, Red Bull, Miami, 2022 — Photo: © LAT Images

Miami Grand Prix

Perez urges Red Bull improvent after Miami survival

Perez was close to retirement with a PU issue

Ewan Gale

Monday 9 May 2022 14:30

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Sergio Perez has urged Red Bull to get on top of its poor reliability record after revealing he almost retired from the inaugural Miami Grand Prix.

The Mexican was able to finish fourth behind team-mate and race winner Max Verstappen and both Ferrari drivers after a mid-race power unit issue that left Perez without horsepower from his battery deployment.

The issue followed hydraulic problems for reigning champion Verstappen during practice, the Dutchman's retirement in Australia and the team's double-retirement at the season opener in Bahrain.

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Perez had aimed to use a late safety car to switch to fresh medium tyres to overhaul Carlos Sainz but the straight-line speed deficiency worked against him.

But with Verstappen and Charles Leclerc both staying on old hard tyres, Perez was asked if he felt he would have had a chance of winning had his power unit run at full power.

"I think with a normal engine, I would have had a chance, definitely," he replied.

"I think it was a sensor issue and throughout the race, it was working well but then with the sensor issue, we lost like seven seconds in two laps and then yeah, it was just a poor race.

"I was losing too much time, I was like 10kph down on the straights.

"We need to keep working hard because every time, we are finding different issues.

"Luckily we managed to finish the race, I think at one point it was really close to being over so to get that and be able to finish race is good."

Perez details Sainz pass attempt

Despite his struggles, Perez was able to make an attempted overtake on Sainz in the closing stages.

After the Ferrari got out of shape at turn 17, Perez picked up the tow through turns 18 and 19 before opening the DRS on the run to the first corner.

He lunged to the inside but ran wide on the dirty side of the track before having to settle for fourth.

"I was in a great spot but unfortunately with the DRS, I couldn't get close to Carlos," explained Perez.

"The deficit in a straight line was quite high and I was pushing really hard to stay close to him in the corners, the tyres were overheating so as soon as I had an opportunity, I went for it.

"It was too dirty off-line and after that, I couldn't get close, the deficit in a straight line was big."

Additional reporting by Ian Parkes