Pink Bull’s new driver Sergio Perez ticked all of the improper packing containers for his crew throughout the 2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, beginning by outqualifying teammate Max Verstappen and messing up in the kind of race he’s anticipated to excel in.
After too a few years as half a crew, Verstappen doing all of the heavy pushing, Pink Bull got here to their senses by signing Perez to again up their ace, within the different automotive, on the expense of their homegrown expertise, Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly.
The considering is that whereas Verstappen does what he does greatest, specifically drive as quick as he can on a regular basis, Perez would carry his distinctive model of firepower to race days along with his legendary “tyre-whisperer” fashion driving, rising to the event in races of excessive attrition as we had at Imola on Sunday.
However that principle was turned on its head this weekend, beginning on Saturday in qualifying as he did the unthinkable and outqualified Verstappen, the Dutchman’s first teammate to take action in 31 races, to line up on the entrance row of the grid behind Lewis Hamilton.
Race day dawned with rain and because of this, a moist begin, observe circumstances so difficult even the likes of Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc had been caught out, and that’s earlier than the race began!
Step up Checo Perez we thought, this was his excellent playground.
However over the following two hours or so the veteran of 193 Grand Prix begins regarded like a rookie, Albon-like one might must say, as he fumbled his means round together with a few spins, that price him a podium.
On the entrance, Verstappen delivered a masterclass to take victory over Hamilton and Mercedes, whereas Perez crossed the road in 12th, almost a lap adrift of the profitable blue automotive.
Regardless of the woeful exhibiting by their new driver, crew principal Christian Horner is unconcerned: “It’s simply time within the seat. It’s completely different to what he’s used to.
“He did a mega job [in qualifying] to place it on the entrance row, solely simply missed out on that pole place and there are nice races to return from him sooner or later.
“You might see in clear air his tempo was sturdy; he simply acquired caught in that DRS prepare on the finish there. However yeah, it was a troublesome day for all of them at this time. So robust for him and we must always have taken some factors out of Mercedes.
“He had good tempo within the race and there’s nonetheless a protracted, lengthy strategy to go,” added Horner.
Perez summed up his personal efficiency greatest: “I’m very disillusioned in myself and actually sorry to the crew. I believe on the re-start the rostrum was ours and the tempo of the automotive was good, we must always have completed one and two on the rostrum.”