Bitter pill for Perez: 'Could have been on the front row next to Verstappen'.

A promising weekend for Red Bull Racing driver Sergio Perez ended in disappointment today, when he failed to advance past Q1. Looking back, the driver says this result is all the more difficult to stomach as he feels the car was good enough to finish alongside Max Verstappen on the front row of the grid.

"It's extremely frustrating, because we definitely had the pace today to lock the front row", Perez argues in conversation with Motorsport.com. "I think I was progressing well, I was feeling more comfortable as the run was progressing."

Perez continued, "It's really hard to digest this one, knowing how good the car is that we have here." The Mexican, who recently re-signed for 2022 with the Milton Keynes-based team, must settle for a 16th starting position.

Engine change?

There is also speculation about a possible engine change for the driver after the end of qualifying, as the ten spot grid penalty hurts less due to his poor result. This would also put the driver in a better position for the overtaking race that awaits him.

However, Perez does not want to say anything definitive about these rumours yet: "We are thinking about it, and will consider all the possibilities. "