'I was surprised Perez couldn't fight harder for podium'

Sergio Perez is clearly having a better season in 2022 than in 2021. With two podium finishes in the first five races and a third place in the championship, the Mexican has moved a lot closer to teammate Max Verstappen. According to Jolyon Palmer, however, there could have been more in it for Checo in Miami.

Perez started fourth in Miami and finished the race in the same spot. The Mexican crossed the finish line just over two seconds after Carlos Sainz, but there might have been more to it. The Mexican had problems with his engine. A sensor problem caused him to fall back and he had to make up a lot of time on Sainz.

Thanks to the safety car Perez was close to Sainz at the end of the race, but despite several attempts he could not pass him. This while Perez also had newer tires than Sainz. Palmer told F1TV that he was surprised that Perez did not fight harder for the final podium position.

According to Palmer, Perez should have waited for the right moment to make his overtake. "I think it was just impatience," the Briton explains. According to him, Perez knew that he had the faster car and better tires, but could not bring himself to wait to make his overtake.

Despite Perez's failed overtaking attempts, Palmer thought that the Mexican would still be able to pass Sainz at a later point. It was not to be. "I thought the difference on new mediums should be enough to get through, especially when you saw what Verstappen was doing up front, but maybe the engine problems also played a part. I was surprised he couldn't fight a little harder."