During the qualifying session, Perez was driving slowly on his warm-up lap when Hulkenberg, who was going fast, had to swerve around him on Turn 13. Perez didn’t know Hulkenberg was behind him until very late because his team didn’t warn him early enough.
The stewards reviewed the situation and decided to give Perez a three-place grid penalty. This means he would start the race from sixth place instead of third.
The stewards explained, “Perez, who was on an out lap was at the apex of the turn and Hulkenberg had to leave the racing line to drive around him. Hulkenberg was forced to lift the throttle early and brake early for that corner.” They also noticed that Perez’s team didn’t warn him about Hulkenberg until it was too late to avoid causing a problem.
Hulkenberg mentioned that this incident caused him to lose some time in his qualifying lap. He said, “Maybe, because that lap I think was my first 1m17.9s also, and it cost a few tenths.” He also joked that Perez seemed unaware of his presence behind him, saying, “He was having Mexican siesta, I think. He wasn’t looking in the mirror.”
Because of Perez’s penalty, Lando Norris from McLaren will start third on the grid instead of fourth. Charles Leclerc from Ferrari and Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri will also move up one position on the starting grid.
Also read: Baku GP Drama: Perez’s Triumph, Vettel’s Heroics, Hamilton’s Fight