Sergio Perez had to deal with a terrible race this season. After going out onto the race tracks to a DNF and then back on the track again, it seemed quite embarrassing for the Mexican driver. Perez has had some of the worst moments in the 2023 Formula 1 season. However, his Japanese Grand Prix might be topping it all. The driver had a few mishaps on the track after starting the race but soon after he was back on the tracks again.
However, this was not one of the best decisions Red Bull made this season. Checo’s car saw major damage after crashing into a few drivers. The situation, however, had the Mexican DNF and also get penalties. Nonetheless, the Red Bull team went on to let Sergio Perez out to drive. That was when the commentators were heard saying that he would be serving the most “meaningless” lap of the sport.
And there he goes! He has gone back into the garage 😭#F1 #JapaneseGP https://t.co/aUSy66oavf
— RBR News 🇳🇱🇲🇽 (@redbulletin) September 24, 2023
Perez left the pit lane but soon he was seen going back in the pits. The second driver of Red Bull was asked to pit to serve his penalty for crashing into another driver. It served as his most meaningless lap or an effort to take a lap. However, by doing so he may have saved himself from being penalized during the next race. But what exactly led to him serving this embarrassing lap of the season?
Sergio Perez saved from a three-place grid penalty with recent Japanese Grand Prix move
Sergio Perez started the race like every other driver. However, it was right before the Turn 1 that Perez crashed into Lewis Hamilton. The crash caused Perez to have damage in his front wing for which he soon pitted and was back out. The second Red Bull driver was out into the race right behind all the other drivers. He was in the last place right behind Valtteri Bottas who has been seeing some bad luck since the qualifications.
Nonetheless, Perez got a new front wing and nose cone changed in the pits. However, he would crash into Bottas again. This time the driver went in for a gap a little too late and crashed with Bottas making the Alfa Romeo driver spin. This ended badly for both the drivers as Bottas retired from the race and so did Sergio Perez. However, it seemed like he had but soon was ready to get back out on the tracks to lap. But he was seen serving his 5-second penalty instead after exiting the pit lane.
Checo came back out to serve his penalty as the Regulations say stewards can decide to have a penalty carry over to the following race if a driver DNFs without serving said penalties.
Red Bull have been in contact with FIA talking the details over if they were allowed to come…
— RBR News 🇳🇱🇲🇽 (@redbulletin) September 24, 2023
This made Sergio Perez the first-ever driver in Formula 1 history to DNF twice in one race, allegedly after Mark Webber. He was seen retiring from the race right after hitting the “pit exit and pit again” moment. The Red Bull team lived through another deja vu as they retired their driver twice from a race. Nonetheless, it seems the disaster was nothing compared to Red Bull receiving their sixth Contrustors Championship title.
