Sergio Perez’s hopes of a return to type at his residence race had been ended by a collision with Charles Leclerc at Flip 1 in Mexico Metropolis.
Perez and Purple Bull teammate Max Verstappen each had a lightning getaway firstly on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez and located themselves both aspect of Leclerc, who had been on pole place, coming to Flip 1.
With Verstappen on the within, Leclerc had nowhere to go to keep away from Perez because the Mexican driver turned proper to make the nook.
The collision briefly despatched Perez’s automobile airborne earlier than it was spun round, briefly coming to a cease within the run-off space.
Perez refused responsible Leclerc, saying he went aggressive firstly as he noticed an opportunity to take the lead.
“I took a threat to exit that nook first and go for the victory,” Perez advised the media after retiring from the occasion.
“It hurts me quite a bit for the individuals. I gave it my all. I wished to present them the victory”.
Requested if he may have given Leclerc more room, he stated: “Positively sure. However I used to be not anticipating Charles to brake that late, as a result of I used to be already forward of him and he was within the center, so there’s quite a bit much less room for maneovuer. So when you’re dedicated to the braking zone at these speeds, it is simply too late.
“Clearly there may be all the time, with these large vehicles, three vehicles into Flip 1, it isn’t going to finish up effectively. However in the event you determine to take a threat, I made a decision to take it, and I paid the value.”
Perez was in a position to drag his broken automobile again to the pits, however after Purple Bull’s mechanics had tried to make repairs, he climbed out of the automobile to formally retire from the race.
The Mexican driver angrily thumped his steering wheel when he acquired again to the pit-lane.
Leclerc stayed second however had a broken entrance wing endplate, though it got here free earlier than the Ferrari driver would have been referred to as in to make a change on security grounds.
It was a heartbreaking second for Perez, who has been in determined want of a robust consequence to quieten whispers of an early departure from Purple Bull.
The stress on him had been heightened on Saturday when AlphaTauri’s Daniel Ricciardo, who may very well be referred to as on to swap with Perez subsequent 12 months, certified forward of him.
Since profitable two of the primary 4 races, Perez has been on the rostrum simply 5 occasions since, by no means on the highest step. In the identical spell, teammate Verstappen has claimed 12 victories.
Within the combat for second within the championship, Perez leads Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton by 39 factors, however the Mexican driver’s retirement has given the seven-time world champion a golden alternative to take a giant chunk out of that deficit.