Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez unite: Mexican GP clash a 'racing incident'
Red Bull driver Sergio Perez and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc crash
In a thrilling first lap collision during the Mexico City Grand Prix, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Red Bull's Sergio Perez found themselves in an intense battle for position.
Both drivers, in agreement, have declared the incident as nothing more than a racing mishap.
Leclerc, who started from pole position, struggled off the line, allowing Max Verstappen to seize the inside line for the charge down to Turn 1. As Perez capitalized on the slipstream from both leaders, the scene unfolded three-abreast entering the braking zone.
In an attempt reminiscent of Verstappen's 2021 manoeuvrers, the Red Bull aimed to sweep around the outside but ultimately failed, leading to Leclerc being squeezed into a precarious position. There was simply no room to manoeuvre further to the right, as that space was already occupied by Verstappen.
This intense clash catapulted Red Bull's RB19 into the air, causing severe damage to the car's floor and sidepod, forcing the team to retire the vehicle. Unfortunately, the incident also had implications for Perez's hopes of securing second place in the championship.
Despite the chaos, Perez remained unyielding, defending his move and asserting that it was a mere racing incident. Leclerc concurred with his counterpart's assessment, stating, "I think exactly the same, I mean I had nowhere to go. I tried to stay on the right as much as possible, as close as I could to Max. But unfortunately, there was no space any more for me to be any more to the right."
Leclerc further elaborated, "I don't think Checo was aware that I had Max on my right and started to turn in, and when I saw that, I knew that we would collide at one point, which we did."
Despite the initial collision and the dire circumstances it entailed, Leclerc was pleasantly surprised by the outcome, stating, "After that, I was extremely surprised that I could finish the race. When I saw Checo with his rear wheel touching my front wheel, I was like: 'Okay, that's done for me.' Then I did two, three corners and it didn't feel too bad."
Leclerc's ability to navigate the damage and complete the race was a positive turn of events. On the radio, his team informed him that they were lacking around 10 to 15 points of downforce, but he managed to drive around the issues and secure a finish.
The incident highlights the fierce competition in Formula 1 and the determination of these top-tier drivers. The next event on the Formula 1 calendar is a Sprint Race scheduled for the weekend of 3-5 November at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
This high-speed showdown will take place over 71 laps of the 4.309-kilometre Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace in Brazil.
