Sergio Perez and Red Bull faced significant penalties following the Canadian Grand Prix due to a rules breach. Perez, who retired from the race after hitting the wall, received a three-place grid penalty for the next race in Spain. Red Bull was also fined €25,000 for their role in the incident. In a dramatic turn of events at the Canadian Grand Prix, Sergio Perez and his team, Red Bull, have been hit with substantial penalties by the FIA. The weekend’s troubles began with Perez crashing into the wall and were compounded by a subsequent breach of F1’s Sporting Regulations, resulting in a three-place grid penalty for the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix and a hefty €25,000 fine for Red Bull.
The weekend was challenging for Perez from the start. After a disappointing performance in Monaco, he was eager to bounce back. However, he failed to progress beyond Q1 in the wet conditions of Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, starting the race in 16th position. His struggle continued as he spun off the track on Lap 53, damaging the rear wing of his RB20. Despite managing to bring the car back to the pits, the damage was too severe, leading to his retirement from the race.
The situation worsened post-race when Perez was summoned by the stewards. The issue was his attempt to drive back to the pits with a damaged car, which is a clear breach of Article 26.10 of the F1 Sporting Regulations. This regulation mandates that a driver must leave the track if they encounter serious mechanical difficulties. The stewards’ review of video footage, team radio communications, and in-car video evidence confirmed the violation. Consequently, Perez was handed a three-place grid penalty for the next race in Spain.
Red Bull did not escape unscathed either. The team was fined €25,000 for instructing Perez to drive the damaged car back to the pits, hoping to avoid triggering a Safety Car. The stewards’ statement highlighted the safety risks posed by the incident, noting that the damaged car shed several carbon fibre parts on its way back to the pits.
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, acknowledged the tough weekend for Perez, noting that the team only managed to mitigate the damage due to Ferrari’s failure to score points after both their cars retired. Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Horner said, “That was a horrible weekend for Checo. Obviously we picked up some damage, so he’ll need to come back strong in Barcelona.”
The penalties mark a significant setback for Perez, who now faces an uphill battle in Spain. Both driver and team will need to regroup and strategize carefully to minimize the impact of these sanctions and regain their competitive edge in the upcoming races.