Despite qualifying on the front row for the Belgian Grand Prix, Sergio Perez criticized Red Bull’s run plan afterward.
Max Verstappen was fastest in qualifying but will start from 11th due to a power unit penalty, promoted Charles Leclerc to pole position ahead of Perez in second. The grid slot is Perez’s best qualifying result since the Chinese Grand Prix, but he only made it through to Q3 by 0.003s ahead of Alex Albon, and says Red Bull’s run program was to blame.
“I think already I was quick in Q1, Q2,” Perez said. “The problem was our run program. We finished a lap before everyone. I think I was P4 or something. But then when you give a lap away, everything was really close, so we were very lucky to be able to make it. It was definitely a mistake on our run program to leave us that vulnerable, basically.”
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Perez says he is happier with his car than he was on Friday, but still doesn’t know if changes he has made to its setup overnight will lead to significantly improved race pace.
“We tried a lot of things, we kept throwing things at it, and it’s never ideal when you don’t have progression,” he said. “Once again today, we threw a lot of things at it. We found a nicer window, a little bit similar in the direction of Hungary, but we were a lot happier with the car.
“So although it’s in the inter conditions, the balance in the medium-high speed was feeling positive, in the right direction. I think tomorrow is going to be a very different day. Let’s see how much we’re able to improve.
“I think yesterday, McLaren looked very strong, but at the same time, we are not that far away. So we’ve done some changes in the direction of tomorrow. I think after the first stint, we’ll have a good idea.”
Starting from the front row on Sunday, Perez says his stronger qualifying performance has no added significance despite the recent pressure he has been under.
“From my point of view, it doesn’t change anything,” he said. “I’ve always said it’s not where we are now, it’s how you ride the waves, and where we finish in Abu Dhabi. There are a lot of drivers that haven’t been able to maximize the performance. But obviously the scrutiny on my side has been quite a bit higher.
“I think tomorrow is a new day, a new opportunity. It would have been the same if I was knocked out in Q2 — tomorrow is a new opportunity to do better.
“If I don’t have a good race tomorrow, I will try to have a good one in Zandvoort. It’s how it is. Sometimes it goes your way, sometimes you have to fight and nothing goes in your direction. I think it’s just the nature of the sport.”