Red Bull’s Sergio Perez won his first pole position in the sport since his debut in 2011. The Mexican driver claims the lap he put in at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was one of his best.
In a surprise twist-ending to the final qualifying session of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Perez pipped Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, and teammate Max Verstappen to win his first-ever pole position in the sport. The driver won the prestigious accolade after 215 Grand Prix appearances, much to the surprise of the rest of the grid.
Speaking to Johnny Herbert after the event, Sergio Perez said:
“It took me a couple of races! But what a lap man, it was unbelievable! I can do a thousand laps but I don’t think I can beat that lap. It was unbelievable. We weren’t really expecting to match the Ferrari’s in qualifying. We were focusing mainly on the race. So hopefully we will get them tomorrow.”
Charles Leclerc missed out on pole by 0.025 seconds despite being the clear favorite throughout the session. Max Verstappen was unable to put in a solid lap together, resulting in him finishing P4 on the grid ahead of Sunday’s race.
Sergio Perez claims Max Verstappen’s contract extension with Red Bull gives him hope for personal stability in the sport
The Mexican driver recently reacted to Max Verstappen’s five-year extension contract with Red Bull, claiming it gives him hope for some level of stability in the team. Verstappen’s new contract with Red Bull is reportedly worth approximately €40 million annually, putting him at par with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
When asked how he feels about the Dutchman’s new contract, Sergio Perez replied:
“I think when the time comes, certainly, as a driver you are looking to have some stability with your team which is also good for the team to have some continuity. So going forward I am looking for a bit longer stay.”
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The reigning world champion has always outperformed Perez in both racing and qualifying conditions. Having played second fiddle to his Dutch teammate, many look at Red Bull driver Perez as nothing but a wingman for Verstappen. The 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix qualifying session, however, came as a shock to all, with Sergio Perez putting in one of his finest-ever performances in the sport. Catch the action live as F1 goes to Jeddah for the second edition of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
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