Sergio Perez seemingly regained some lost form as he stood on the podium at the 2023 Las Vegas GP. However, despite a solid result for the Mexican driver, a former Le Mans winner has called the Red Bull driver out for an embarrassing moment during the race that even a 13-year-old would be ashamed of, per F1Maximaal.nl.
On the very last lap of the 50-lap race, Perez was caught napping by Charles Leclerc as he dove down the inside of him and stole a last-ditch P2. This prompted 2015 Le Mans LMP2 winner Richard Bradley to remark, “There was a race when I was thirteen where I was really stupid and afterwards I knew I had made a mistake. I didn’t block in a way that was very similar to Pérez on the last lap. That shouldn’t happen when you’re thirteen years old, let alone when you’re in Formula 1.”
Overtake #240:
Charles Leclerc on Sergio Perez (2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix)pic.twitter.com/BuILFK9o16— OvertakeCentral (@OvertakeCentral) November 19, 2023
According to Bradley, Perez committed the cardinal sin of motor racing. Defending the inside line into a corner is a cornerstone of racing. However, inexplicably, Perez forgot that Leclerc’s Ferrari was in a prime position to capitalize on his folly. Bradley emphasized that even a 13-year-old won’t make such a rookie mistake.
Despite last-lap gaffe, Sergio Perez secures important milestone at Las Vegas GP
Even though he fell back to P3, Perez’s podium efforts at Las Vegas have sealed P2 for him in the Driver’s Standings in 2023. Lewis Hamilton was breathing down his neck in the later half of the season, however, he’s picked up some crucial points in the last couple of races and has fulfilled his objective.
According to Bradley, that was the saving grace for Perez. “To be honest, this would have been the last straw for me if he hadn’t finished second, because that shows that confidence has completely disappeared. That’s so bad.”
Lewis Hamilton ve Checo Perez. 😅pic.twitter.com/sWOQKihUr1
— Mercedes ////AMG News (@MercedesAMGTR) November 19, 2023
2023 has come as a rude awakening for Perez. While he has been under fire for his poor performances, his teammate, Max Verstappen, has been utterly dominant in the other RB19. So much so that rumors of the Guadalajara-born driver being sacked are floating around the paddock. Nevertheless, the fate of Sergio Perez at Red Bull is yet to be seen.
