News

‘Each lap was a new adventure’ – Perez on German GP

Share

This feature is currently not available because you need to provide consent to functional cookies. Please update your

A survivor. That’s how Sergio Perez felt after the Force India driver overcame a number of setbacks at the German Grand Prix to come home in a respectable seventh, the first time he has scored three points finishes in a row this year…

When the rain came out to play in Hockenheim, Force India and their Formula 1 rivals were forced to rethink their strategies. Fortunately for Perez, his team seemingly got it spot-on, allowing the Mexican to head to the next round in Hungary with some crucial momentum.

But it wasn't as straightforward as Perez would have liked. He suffered a late spin in the wet before getting overtaken by Haas’ Romain Grosjean on the last lap, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he crossed the finishing line.

“When you come away from such a crazy afternoon with some good points, you have to be happy,” said Perez. “The whole race was very busy and I was always in the middle of the pack fighting the cars around me.

Sergio Perez (MEX) Force India on the drivers parade Formula One World Championship, Rd11, German

"It was very tricky and each lap was a new adventure" - Sergio Perez

“I had a mega first stint, but we were unlucky with the slow pit stop, which cost us a few seconds. Then, when the rain arrived, it was very tricky and each lap was a new adventure. I spun while I was lapping Leclerc – I don’t think he saw me and I just lost the rear end.

“To survive all these things and finish seventh is a good achievement. It’s just a shame I lost a position to Grosjean on the final lap, but we did all we could today.”

It was also a good day for his team mate Esteban Ocon. The Frenchman started 15th on the grid following a hugely disappointing qualifying, but made up several positions on the opening lap.

Amid the late-race chaos in the rain, Ocon then battled his way to finish in eighth, capping off a good day all round for a resurgent Force India.

“It’s a great result for us after yesterday’s disappointment,” said Ocon. “I made a good start and gained a few places in the opening laps, but besides that the first stint was pretty boring.

“It’s only after the pit stop, when it started raining, that Sergio and I truly made the difference. We gained a few positions on slicks under the rain and it was really good fun.

“I had to evaluate the situation lap by lap, based on how much rain I could see on my visor and picking my braking points accordingly, but we never really had any doubt about staying out.

“To get in the points after a tough Saturday is a great result: we stayed solid, we believed in our strategy and in the end it paid off.”

Perez currently occupies 10th place in the drivers’ standings, one place and one point above Ocon.

Share

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

Coming Up

Coming Up

Feature

EXPLAINED: He made no contact with Russell – so why did Alonso cop a 20-second penalty for his part in the crash?