Sergio Perez drew closer to a historic Formula One race ban after angering the stewards at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The Mexican finished second to teammate Max Verstappen as Red Bull maintained their strong start to the new season. This was despite a five-second time penalty for an unsafe release in pit lane during the 50-lap race.
After a tyre change, Perez pulled into the pits’ fast lane straight in front of Fernando Alonso, despite being shown a red light by his colleagues. The stewards deemed it a dangerous manoeuvre, and the Red Bull driver was fined accordingly.
The time penalty proved insignificant, as Perez finished comfortably ahead of third-placed Charles Leclerc on the road. But the penalty point he received as a result of the incident will be more of an issue.
Drivers who accumulate 12 penalty points in a 12-month period face an automatic one-race ban. It is a punishment that no Formula One driver has ever received, though few have gone close.
Perez is currently only four points away from that total, according to his most recent encounter with the stewards. To make matters worse, the eight points on his licence have all been earned since the Singapore Grand Prix in September, therefore they will not expire for the most of the season.
The 34-year-old must complete the remaining 15 rounds without receiving more than three penalty points. Significant breathing room will come if he can make it to September 24 without triggering the ban, as that is when the four points he earned in Japan last year will expire.
Initially, Perez dismissed the incident, saying the track merely “needs a wider pit lane.”. But he then confessed culpability, explaining why he had left despite being instructed to wait by colleagues.
He stated, “We were compromised with such an early safety car, which meant that basically everyone just pitted.” It was my fault that I went out, because the team had urged me to stay in. But when I looked to the right, there was nobody there.
“In retrospect, I believe the punishment was justified, and it significantly harmed our race. I realized I didn’t have the correct release, but I didn’t see anyone [coming]. The crew may be slightly slower than you in the car at times. But this time it was the other way around, so I’m sorry about that. But, fortunately, it did not change our race.”
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