P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Sergio Perez pinned his premature elimination in Sprint Qualifying at F1’s Qatar Grand Prix on an impeding incident with Charles Leclerc on his final lap in SQ1.
Perez’s disappointing performance in the Red Bull team continued at the Lusail International Circuit, where he failed to advance past the opening stage, similar to his last race in Las Vegas. Despite a last-minute improvement that briefly placed him in 12th position, he ultimately fell short and was eliminated in Q1 for the seventh time in the last eight sessions. Perez expressed frustration over a compromised final lap due to a battle with Leclerc, resulting in a disappointing 16th place grid position for the upcoming race. He acknowledged the challenge of making significant progress in the race, given the limited opportunities for overtaking. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen faced balance issues with his Red Bull car, finishing in sixth place in qualifying and expressing doubts about a significant improvement for the Sprint race. Verstappen is prepared for a tough battle in the next stages of the competition as he aims to optimize his car’s performance.
