P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Max Verstappen says he understands why Red Bull F1 teammate Sergio Perez risked an ambitious move at the start of the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Mexican driver Sergio Perez had a disappointing end to his home race after colliding with Charles Leclerc from Ferrari at the first corner of the Grand Prix. Perez attempted to overtake both Leclerc and Max Verstappen by going around the outside, but his car made contact with Leclerc’s front-left wheel, causing it to momentarily fly off the circuit. Although Perez managed to return to the pits, his heavily damaged car forced him to retire. Reflecting on the incident, Perez acknowledged that he could have backed out of the move, but he wanted to give it his all in his attempt to take the lead. Meanwhile, Verstappen believed that Perez could have left more space but understood the excitement and desire to be on the podium, even though it didn’t work out this time. With Perez out of the race, Verstappen secured a historic 16th victory this season, while Lewis Hamilton finished second, narrowing the gap in the championship to just 20 points with three races remaining.
Source: Crash
