If the Dutch Grand Prix revolves around Max Verstappen, the Mexican Grand Prix is a kind of Monograph on Checo Pérez, who this Sunday left the Hermanos Rodríguez circuit with a tremendous downturn and barely turning a corner. The carnival that he had organized lasted only 800 meters. After starting fifth, the driver from Jalisco was catapulted into the air after being the victim of a sandwich between Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari and his teammate’s Red Bull, as the three approached the first stop practically in parallel. In the incident, the side of the RB19 was badly damaged, too much to remain on the track in the eyes of the red buffalo brand technicians who inspected his car immediately afterwards. “This time the podium was not worth it, only the victory,” declared Pérez, who went for everything and was left with nothing. Now we will have to see how he is able to recover from the umpteenth setback of his most difficult season since he signed for the energy team, in 2021.
The role of the Mexican is probably the most difficult to play of all. If we take into account his predecessors on the opposite side of Verstappen’s garage, no one has done as well as Checo, who, however, is not able to get rid of the shadow that grows over his head, and that places Daniel Ricciardo within of his car sooner rather than later. With the two titles – the drivers and the constructors – resolved in favor of the Milton Keynes structure, the rider from Guadalajara occupies second place in the general table, with two victories (Saudi Arabia and Baku) and eight podiums in his locker, but with half the points of his workshop neighbor.
If we take into account the pressure he receives from Red Bull, every weekend and every weekend, it is difficult to understand what his bosses want from him. Above all, because beating Verstappen is neither of interest to them nor is it realistic given the Dutchman’s form, who dominated again this Sunday. This victory is the 16th of the course for him, a figure that allows him to surpass the previous record, which he himself set last week, in Austin. The podium was completed by Lewis Hamilton and Leclerc, while Carlos Sainz finished fourth and Fernando Alonso was forced to abandon, as a result of a breakdown, for the second consecutive weekend.
You can follow EL PAÍS Deportes in Facebook and xor sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter.
#Checo #Pérez #left