‘It’s a nightmare’ – Disappointed Perez explains Q2 exit in Singapore

Off the back of one of his strongest weekends of the season in Baku, Sergio Perez fell back down to Earth in qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix, dropping out in Q2 on a day where Red Bull team mate Max Verstappen claimed P2 on the grid.

Last time out in Baku, Perez was well-placed to score his first podium since the Chinese Grand Prix before a penultimate-lap crash with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz – with Perez hoping he could maintain that improved pace in Singapore, following a tricky run of races.

READ MORE: Norris beats Verstappen to pole for Singapore GP after Sainz crashes out

However, after failing to finish higher than P8 in any of the three practice sessions at Singapore’s Marina Bay Street Circuit, that form continued into qualifying for Perez, who took P5 in Q1 before dropping out in P13 in the second segment of qualifying, finishing behind the Williams pair of Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto.

“It’s a nightmare, really,” 2022 Singapore Grand Prix winner Perez told the media after qualifying. “We had good progression through Q1, but then in Q2, there was something going funny with the tyres that I just couldn’t get them in the window, the rear axle.

“I was struggling quite a lot with it, and it was just so peaky, that just a little tickle on the car, on the balance, will make a huge difference and unfortunately, we’re knocked out.”

Perez added: “It hasn’t been a straightforward weekend. I think we lost some potential from yesterday, so plenty of stuff to analyse.”

The result means that Perez has made Q3 just three times in 12 visits to the Singapore Grand Prix, with the Mexican set to start in the exact same P13 spot as he did in last year’s race.

READ MORE: ‘That wasn’t fun’ – Ricciardo reflects on painful Q1 exit in Singapore amid speculation over his future

And after only recovering to P8 in 2023, Perez’s expectations for race day this time around were understandably muted…

“It’s very difficult to overtake out there, so it’s going to be a tricky race tomorrow,” said Perez.

WATCH: Sainz slides into the barriers to bring out red flags during qualifying in Singapore

“Once again, I think trying to score some points, minimise the damage, will be the target for tomorrow.”

Verstappen, meanwhile, will start on the front row, qualifying 0.203s behind pole-sitter and chief title rival, McLaren’s Lando Norris.

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