P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Horner: Avoiding Qatar penalty ‘only decent thing’ from Perez’s Japan race
Perez struggled throughout practice and qualified in fifth place, a substantial seven-tenths of a second behind his teammate Verstappen. Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner, attributed the large gap between the two drivers to Perez’s lack of confidence in the high-speed sections of the Suzuka circuit. During the race, Perez made contact with Lewis Hamilton at Turn 1, damaging his front wing. He also sent Kevin Magnussen’s Haas into a spin, necessitating a front wing change and earning penalties. Red Bull ultimately retired Perez but sent him back out to serve his penalties before ending his race for a second time. Despite Perez’s challenging Sunday, Horner acknowledged his contributions to Red Bull’s success this season and emphasized the exceptional performance of Verstappen.
Source: Motorsport Week
