P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Helmut Marko insists benchmarking Sergio Perez’s performance during the Mexico City Grand Prix is futile give the size of the damage his Red Bull suffered at the hands of Liam Lawson.
Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko explained the significant damage sustained by Sergio Perez during the Mexico City Grand Prix, particularly noting the collision with Liam Lawson and the resulting loss of downforce. The collision with Lawson on lap 18 caused considerable damage to the sidepod of Perez’s RB20, affecting his race and performance. Despite starting from P18 and already facing a time penalty, a late pit stop further hindered Perez’s chances of a competitive finish, relegating him to P17. Marko emphasized the massive impact of losing 60 points of downforce, rendering Perez’s subsequent performance irrelevant due to the compromised car dynamics. The intricate relationship between aerodynamics, downforce, and lap time loss was further explained by former Alpine engineer Ramon Drost, shedding light on the complexities of assessing performance impact from car damage in racing situations.