Sky Sports analyst and former F1 driver Karun Chandhok believes Sergio Pérez will blame himself for losing P2 to Charles Leclerc on the final lap of the race. Chandhok thinks that the Mexican will be particularly disappointed that he left the door open and did not defend his place.
Pérez finished third in Las Vegas after Leclerc managed to overtake the Red Bull Racing driver on the final lap. The Monegasque started his overtaking action quickly and unexpectedly, which seemed to scare Pérez. Some believe that the Mexican should have defended his place, while others saw it as him taking money for his money and preferring to secure P2 in the championship. “I think Checo will blame himself because it was the last lap of the race,” Chandhok said in the Sky Sports podcast.
‘Between turn twelve and turn fourteen he fell down one place. I think he regrets that he didn’t sit on the inside more and defend himself, because he just opened the door,” the former driver continues. ‘He stayed firmly to the right and just invited an attack, which would always happen on the last corner of the last lap. Unfortunately for Pérez, he emerged as a loser. He simply invited Leclerc. I think if Pérez had gone in more, Leclerc would have struggled.’
Chandhok praises Leclerc’s work
What most analysts had an opinion about was the fact that it has already happened to Pérez twice in a row. He was also in a battle in Brazil in the last lap, then with Fernando Alonso, and was even pushed off the podium by the Spaniard. ‘Pérez could have slowed him down at the apex of turn fourteen and made sure he got a good exit. Then he could have provided a one-two punch,” says Chandhok. ‘Charles did a great job diving on the inside, and Pérez had a good race from 11th to P3, but I think he could have been P2.’
