Sergio Perez slams F1 rivals after what Fernando Alonso did at Brazil GP

07 November 2023 , 10:34

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Sergio Perez slams F1 rivals after what Fernando Alonso did at Brazil GP

Max Verstappen won the race but it was Fernando Alonso who stole the show in Sao Paulo on Sunday as he held off Sergio Perez to memorably claim third place.

In what proved a thrilling finale between the two rivals, the F1 veteran was left with 16 laps to fend off the Red Bull driver, despite him having the use of DRS for much of the battle. But it seemed like the 42-year-old was set to endure heartbreak after Perez finally found a way past him on the penultimate lap.

But Alonso wasn't done there. At 42, the Aston Martin man proved he's lost none of his attacking instincts by keeping his composure and then reclaiming his place on Turn Four of the final lap, before crossing the line a mere 0.053 seconds in front of Perez.

But to the credit of the Mexican driver, he embraced the two-time world champion after the race. And in what can be perceived as a subtle dig at his fellow rivals, including the likes of teammate Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, he argued the racing on show in Brazil was something others could learn from.

“It was quite an intense battle,” Perez told Sky F1. “We tried everything. Unfortunately, we didn’t succeed on that. But it was well deserved for Fernando.

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"I think we had a great fight, very fair, to the limit and this is something that a lot of drivers can learn from. Because what we did, the way we fight today, I think it’s something that is how it should be done."

(FLORENT GOODEN/DPPI/REX/Shutterstock)

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And despite mounting pressure as speculation intensifies on his Red Bull future, Perez insisted he held no bitterness over the result: “I’m in the wrong side, I end up losing, but it’s fine you know, because it was a great fight.”

The podium place also keeps alive Alonso's hoped of a top-three finish in the drivers' standings. With only races in Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi to go, he trails third-placed Hamilton by 28 points, although is now just three ahead of Lando Norris after the McLaren man crossed the line second in Interlagos.

Perez meanwhile, is almost certain to finish second overall, which would represent his strongest season in F1. However, his place in Christian Horner's team is under scrutiny given the undeniable gap in performance between him and partner Verstappen.

Fraser Watson