Perez has excuse for missing out on win: 'If Max is already being overtaken...'"

Sergio Perez's task this season has been quite simple: to finish second behind Max Verstappen every time and, at times when the Dutchman runs into problems, to take the win himself. The latter failed in Melbourne, on a day when the reigning world champion retired his Red Bull early in the Australian Grand Prix. Why Perez failed to triumph? He said the grid penalty of three places played a major role in it.

Perez was penalised after qualifying for holding up Nico Hulkenberg in Q1. As a result, the 2023 vice-champion could not start the Grand Prix from third but had to start from sixth place. In hindsight, Perez claimed, that affected his race quite a lot.

"Yes, I think our race would have looked a little bit different to how it did look. Because basically the first stint we had [more] deg behind Russell and losing the place to him was very damaging. Just a very bad weekend. We never managed to get in the window with the car to look after the tyres well throughout the stints. The balance was always a step off. Plenty of understanding for us too." Perez said.

Unlike Verstappen, Perez had no problems with the brakes. "I had other problems," the Mexican said. As to why it was all so difficult in Melbourne, he said it was because of the tarmac. "Yes, I think it's probably tarmac related. If you remember Vegas, we were already struggling last year. So I think there's something in it that we just have to make sure we work hard to try and understand what the issues are."

So in the end, it became a weekend without a Red Bull on the podium, as Perez finished fifth. So no victory for the Mexican when it was actually expected of him: "Today we just didn't have the pace as a team. If you see Max was being overtaken within two laps, that already shows something," said Perez, who did not mention that Verstappen already had brake problems at that time.