Sergio Perez failed to advance from Q1 for the sixth time this year after the Red Bull
ace produced his latest disappointing qualifying session at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The 34-year-old has endured a torrid time in qualifying this season, having only reached Q3 for 13 of the 21 rounds thus far. Perez will now start the Las Vegas GP from 16th on the grid after only managing to register a 1:34.155 during the opening stage of qualifying in Sin City.
Mercedes driver George Russell set the pace in Q1 with a 1:33.225 to edge champion-elect, Max Verstappen. The Red Bull racer ended the opening stage just 0.039 seconds off the top pace, while teammate Perez finished Q1 a huge 0.969s down on Russell’s table-topping lap.
Sergio Perez’s Las Vegas GP qualifying horror deals Red Bull’s constructors’ championship hopes ‘bad news’
Perez complained about struggling for grip once informed over Red Bull’s team radio about his inability to advance from Q1 at the Las Vegas GP. The Mexican branded it “unbelievable” to bow out so early in the session as Verstappen threatened Russell at the top of the board.
A bad performance in Sin City is among the last things the Guadalajara native needed after Perez survived another sack threat at Red Bull. The team from Milton Keynes had mulled a change in driver after Perez’s P11 finish in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, which Verstappen won.
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Former Formula 1 driver Brundle also believes Perez’s disastrous qualifying for the Las Vegas GP was also ‘bad news’ for Red Bull in their constructors’ championship hopes. McLaren top the standings with 593 points to Ferrari on 557 and Red Bull on 544 with three rounds to go.
“Bad news for Red Bull in the constructors’ championship in terms of potential tomorrow to score from that second car,” Brundle said on Sky Sports F1 (23/11, 06:19).
Liam Lawson knocked Sergio Perez out in Q1 as RB star vies for Red Bull seat
Perez has survived regular speculation that Red Bull will sack the Mexican this year, despite extending his contract into 2025 and with an option for 2026 back in June. He has endured an endless plight since taking four podium finishes through the first five rounds of the year.
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Red Bull have not seen Perez stand on the rostrum since his P3 in April’s Chinese Grand Prix. He has also failed to score any points in three of the past five Grands Prix, including at home in the Mexico City GP. Perez crashed with Carlos Sainz in Azerbaijan on the penultimate lap.
Qualifying has been a frequent thorn in Perez’s side this year, too, with the Las Vegas GP the sixth time he did not progress from Q1. It was also Liam Lawson, who could replace Perez at Red Bull, who knocked him out in Sin City with the Visa Cash App RB driver in P15 by 0.068s.
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