Sergio Perez became the first Mexican to win in Monaco. After finishing at the FIA press conference, the Red Bull Racing rider summed up the seventh stage and shared what success on the streets of the Principality means to him.
Q: Sergio, you were very emotional on stage. Where in the ranking of your three wins is this success in Monaco?
Sergio Perez: The victory in Monaco is very high, because all the riders dream of winning on this track. When you make your debut in Formula 1 and drive on the track in Monaco for the first time, you start dreaming of winning here one day. I got an incredible result, which means a lot to me.
In the race I rode in the same color scheme as Pedro Rodriguez. I am sure he would be very proud of what we have achieved in this sport.
Q: You moved from third to first place thanks to a brilliant strategy. In the cockpit, did you understand where everything was going, or was returning to the track as leader after a pit stop a surprise?
Sergio Perez: No, it didn’t come as a surprise, because at that point it was pretty clear that the track was ready for the transition to slicks. The wet tires overheated, but I wasn’t sure if I could continue like Carlos or if my tires would turn into slicks.
You could see Carlos lost a lot of time on that stage of the race and I was behind him. However, where necessary I attacked and was able to get the intermediate tires to work. We had very good contact with the team – they told me what to do, how to get the maximum result. We managed, and although it sounds from the outside that it was easy, but in such conditions it is difficult to attack and not make a mistake. Monaco is never easy.
Q: In the last laps Carlos Sainz put a lot of pressure on you. What did it look like from your side?
Sergio Perez: I felt they controlled the race quite easily and I couldn’t attack. Then all of a sudden I started to understeer in turns 3 and 4, which got worse with each lap. I saw Carlos just behind me, but I accelerated better out of corner eight, so I was pretty comfortable holding the advantage.
However, I understood that it was very important not to make a mistake in the tenth corner, because when you cut the chicane you have to return the position. Thus Carlos created serious pressure.
Closer to the finish I managed to overcome the rubber granulate, which caused problems in the third and fourth corners. At one point I increased the gap because the third, fourth and fifth corners were driven along a normal trajectory. I played some time and already finished at a more relaxed pace.
Q: Is there any trace of disappointment with the qualifying results?
Sergio Perez: Yes, this is Formula 1. The situation changes in a matter of seconds. I’m happy with how everything went on Sunday and don’t want to think too much about what’s to come, I want to enjoy this day.
Q: Please clarify the situation with your contract for next year. After the race you said something along the lines of “I signed too early.” Are you talking about a contract?
Sergio Perez: I meant a bottle of champagne. We will investigate the issue of the contract. I hope the result in Monaco helps.
Q: Do you want to add wins in the Indy 500 and Le Mans to the win in Monaco?
Sergio PerezA: Honestly, I’m not interested in Indianapolis. As for endurance racing, I don’t know. Maybe one day I’ll try it, but I’m not sure.
I think when I’m done with Formula 1, I should go home and look after the kids. I have three so there is a lot to do. I think Le Mans and Indianapolis might be more interesting for the guys who were on the podium with me.
Source: F1 News
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
