Sergio Perez had a good day on track. He was able to finish P2 after starting P9. However, his result was taken away due to a penalty he received while trying to overtake Lando Norris. He went on to finish only P4 behind his teammate, Charles Leclerc and George Russell.
Starting P9 on the grid, Sergio Perez utilized the full capabilities of the RB19 during the race. He fought his way through the field, battling McLarens, Mercedes, Ferraris, and Aston Martins. On the track, this hard-fought battle paid off as he was able to finish behind his teammate, Max Verstappen who won the race for Red Bull.
However, during one of these hard-fought battles, Sergio Perez had contact with Lando Norris. For this incident, Perez was given a 5-second penalty. This penalty cost Perez 2 positions in the final result. The incident itself was quite controversial. There were many similar incidents in the past which have been passed off as a racing incident. However, this time, Checo got a penalty for it.
Perez dives down the inside and clashes with Norris 💥😮
Watch all the best action from the season finale at Yas Marina ⤵️#F1 #AbuDhabiGP
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 26, 2023
Sergio Perez had the inside line going into the corner. Although he did go a little wider than expected due to the late braking, he did leave a bit of space for Lando. After he received the penalty, he was enraged. After the race, he came onto the radio to vent his frustrations to his race engineer.
The Stewards were not happy with the statements made. Hence, Perez and one representative from Red Bull have been summoned regarding the matter. It is possible that Perez and Red Bull will receive a reprimand and a fine for the statements made.
The harsh radio message that landed Sergio Perez in trouble at Abu Dhabi GP
In the radio message, Sergio Perez insulted the Stewards and said they have been very bad this year. This has obviously upset the Stewards. Or else Perez would not have been summoned by them.
“I mean stewards are a joke man. I cannot believe it, I mean, they have been very bad this year, but this is a joke. That was really a joke.”
If Sergio Perez did not receive a penalty, he would have finished on the podium. It is doubtful if he would have finished 2nd, but the podium is guaranteed. Charles Leclerc decided to let Sergio Perez pass by hoping that the Mexican driver would build a 5-second gap to George Russell. In doing so, Leclerc would have finished 2nd with Perez 3rd and pushed George down to 4th. This would have seen Ferrari finish 2nd in the WCC.
Checo P4: “I mean stewards are a joke man. I cannot believe, I mean, they have been very bad this year, but this is a joke. That was really a joke.” #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/XQhqpvuzBy
— Marie🌸LET’S GO CHECO (@ma_fe79) November 26, 2023
However, this did not happen due to the 5-second penalty. Neither car suffered any damage after the contact. Both Lando and Perez continued on with their race as per usual. However, on the next lap, Sergio Perez did manage to get past Lando Norris. Lando was able to finish 5th and secure 6th place in the WDC above Carlos Sainz. Sergio Perez secured 2nd place in the WDC after Las Vegas where he finished 3rd.
It has been a successful season for Red Bull. Not only did they manage to win both Championships, but they also managed to get their first 1-2 finish in the WDC. But will they be able to continue their dominance next season or will Ferrari, McLaren, or Mercedes challenge them? Post your answers in the comments section below.