‘We knew that was the value we’d pay,’ says Perez after qualifying crash at P16 end in Monaco

Sergio Perez saw his 2023 title hopes soured significantly during the Monaco Grand Prix weekend. The Mexican finished 16th on Sunday, starting last after a qualifying crash.

In the first segment of Saturday’s exciting qualifying session in Monte Carlo, Perez seems to have misjudged the situation entering Turn 1 – commonly known as Saint Devote – hitting the barriers hard and damaging his Red Bull RB19.

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Starting the race in P20 in the narrow streets of Monegasque, Perez struggled to progress, eventually finishing two laps from winner and teammate Max Verstappen, crashing into the barriers at the Piscine corner at one point, as well as picking up George Russell’s Mercedes as it started to rain .

“It was a really tough day,” Perez said after an incident-packed race. “Everything that could have gone wrong did (wrong) and I’m really sad about the performance – but not today basically, but yesterday, because of my mistake. We knew that was the price we had to pay.”

Perez entered the weekend in Monaco just 14 points behind teammate Verstappen in the drivers’ championship but leaves the Principality 39 points less on the Dutch – and just 12 ahead of second-placed Fernando Alonso – and 2022 Monaco winner Perez admits: “It’s very frustrating.

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“I knew my mistake yesterday was very costly and cost me 25 points, so I was very disappointed. I still have hope, but I know I can’t afford another championship, so I really hope I can get back to normal in Barcelona.

Team principal Christian Horner echoed Perez’s feelings about getting back on horseback Barcelona in a weektelling the media: “It’s been a tough weekend for Checo (Perez) to forget about, but it’s great that he can quickly return to Barcelona next weekend.

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“There are so many races to do – what we have, six races to go, 14 to go. We have a long road ahead of us and a lot of racing. We just go one race at a time, trying to make the most of each weekend.”