Sergio Perez highlights key F1 problem after Abu Dhabi qualy issues

Sam Cooper
Sergio Perez during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.

Sergio Perez heads into the final year of his current Red Bull contract in 2024.

Sergio Perez believes Formula 1 has got itself into a mess regarding track limits after the Mexican was punished late on in Q3.

Perez was one of a number of drivers to fall foul of the track limits rule and for the Red Bull driver, that means a P9 start in Sunday’s race.

With his position in the overall standings confirmed as P2 as well as Red Bull having already won both titles, Perez will not be too concerned for Sunday’s race but has urged a rethink over the rule.

Sergio Perez urges track limits rethink

Track limits is something that the latest leadership group within the FIA have focused on, determining that if no part of your car is on the track then your lap is illegal and as such will be deleted.

It has led to some extraordinary situations, most notably at Austria this year where penalties were handed out hours after the chequered flag, but even in Abu Dhabi it is causing issues.

With Fernando Alonso suggesting quali is now the “worst session” of the weekend, Perez said something similar.

“Frustration as always, especially when it’s so close,” he told media including PlanetF1.com. “You just have to rely on the stewards.

“It’s the way it is now but I really hope that in the winter, we are able to find better solutions for the drivers but also for the people that come because it’s confusing for us, for everyone.

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“I don’t think it looks nice. Finishing qualifying and you have teams that will be arguing this afternoon to try to get penalties and all that. So I just feel like it’s some work that we have got ahead of us to try to come up with a better solution.”

Perez went on to state he thought it was a mess of F1’s own making and highlighted another regulation that made the issue worse.

“They should be working on a better solution than what we have now and working on the circuit, I think we create these issues for ourselves just with the minimum lap time.”

Read next: Abu Dhabi GP: Max Verstappen pips Leclerc to pole for finale as Sainz, Hamilton toil