P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Perez went “blind” into F1 Italian GP qualifying after Friday crash
Sergio Perez had a challenging qualifying session at Monza, struggling to keep up with the pace of his teammate Max Verstappen. He had a spin into the Parabolica tire wall during FP2, causing him to miss crucial laps and affecting his performance in FP3 as well. Perez had to undergo a power unit change and use a previously used engine for qualifying. Despite the difficult circumstances, he managed to salvage fifth place, but acknowledged that their preparation was not ideal. Perez also mentioned that optimizing the car for the three tire compounds used in qualifying was tricky, especially after his crash disrupted their setup. He now hopes to avoid any first-lap trouble in the race and wants to stay with the pack to conserve the tires and race effectively. He also dismissed the suggestion that Ferrari wouldn’t have the race pace to fight on Sunday, saying it’s too early to tell.
Source: Autosport.com
