F1 News

Perez breathes a sigh of relief with place on front row in Belgian GP

Perez gets a place on the front row: "Finally put it together"

27 July at 16:06

Sergio Perez desperately needed a positive qualifying session in Belgium and he 'just' managed to get one. The Mexican survived Q2 by just 0.003 seconds. Perez managed to put it together and was looking likely to take pole position until Charles Leclerc pipped him at the end. Still, due to Verstappen's penalty, Perez will get a place on the front row in Spa.

Perez's future at Red Bull has been thrown into doubt over recent races due to his form. The majority of the issue has come from qualifying. He has been eliminated in Q1 several times, including last weekend in Hungary when he crashed out. The pressure was high and the conditions were tricky but Perez came through.

How Perez reflected on qualifying in Belgium

"It was very tricky at times. In these conditions, it's easy for it to go wrong as it has done in the last few qualifying sessions in this conditions. It's good to finally put it together," Perez said before explaining why he struggled to get out of Q2. "We were out of sync in Q2 so lucky to make it."

Perez was unsure about his team's tyre decisions earlier in qualifying, and after he highlighted how he had no new tyres left in Q3. "P2 is the best position you can wish for. It's a long race. Looks like it will be dry so we'll see. Every weekend is a new chance to do better. Tomorrow is a new chance, and go for that win," Perez said before being asked about his chances for the race win.

"We'll see, it's a long race. Degradation will be tricky, and there will be some graining with the new tarmac. I have a good feeling for tomorrow," Perez concluded.