mobile app bar

Ex-Strategist Explains How Sergio Perez Won His First Race in Bahrain 2020 While Chaos Ensued

Somin Bhattacharjee
Published

Ex Strategist Explains How Sergio Perez Won His First Race in Bahrain 2020 While Chaos Ensued

Sergio Perez‘s victory at the 2020 Sakhir GP was memorable for several reasons, including the fact that it was the Mexican’s first F1 race win, and he won it despite being last on the grid after Lap 1. Looking back on an incredible race for the Silverstone-based team (then known as Racing Point), ex-strategist Bernie Collins reveals what went through the mind of the team when Perez drove towards that famous win.

Perez suffered a shunt in the opening lap of the race in Bahrain, when his car made contact with Charles Leclerc, dropping him down to last place. There was chaos all around in the opening lap with Max Verstappen also crashing out of the race.

A safety car came out and Racing Point and Collins were left with a big decision to make regarding Perez’s strategy for the remainder of the Grand Prix. In an episode of the The Fast and the Curious podcast, Collins reveals the brains behind Perez’s win that evening.

After assessing the situation, Racing Point felt that Perez’s car was fine. They didn’t need to do any repairs, and he could continue racing, trying to catch those in front. Still, Collins insisted on a pit-stop.

“We decided to do the pitstop,” she said. “Because I knew the other tire was quicker and we were ready at the back. It felt like an easy decision because we’ve done all the prep.” 

Perez’s race engineer Chris Conin was initially apprehensive about calling Perez in so early, but having worked with Collins for so long, he decided to relay the message to his driver, asking him to box.

Sergio Perez’s special win in Bahrain 2020

With Verstappen and Leclerc out of the race, Perez crept into the pit lane following Collins’ call and let go of his soft tires to fit in brand-new medium compound tires. From thereon, the Mexican driver drove brilliantly, avoided any incident, and made some stunning moves to work his way towards the front of the pack.

Admittedly, Mercedes was still the fastest team on the grid, but a pit-stop mishap between George Russell (who was filling in for Lewis Hamilton on the day) and Valtteri Bottas gave Perez a golden opportunity to go for the win- and he did.

Collins remembers how special the win was because it was the team’s first. It was also her first and only F1 race win to date, and it came at a time when they knew Perez would leave them and possibly F1 in the coming weeks. The very next weekend when Red Bull announced him as their new driver for the 2021 season, thus saving his career.

His incredible finish in Bahrain that evening was a fitting farewell gift for Collins and the rest of the team, with whom he had been working with for seven years.

Post Edited By:Aishwary Gaonkar

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

x-iconinstagram-iconlinkedin-icon

Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

Share this article