[ad_1]
Pérez was the last at the end of the first lap after Charles Leclerc’s accident in turn four, but he was able to advance.
Perez was in third place when he entered the safety car after Williams driver Jack Aitken crashed into the wall and his front wing remained stuck in the final corner, prompting Mercedes to attempt to stop two cars together.
But the German manufacturer shuffled its drivers ‘tires and installed Potas tires on Russell’s car, and did not change Bottas’ tires at a very long stop.
This helped carry Pérez to the lead when the race resumed, with 19 laps remaining, but the Mexican seemed destined to face great pressure from the recovered Russell in the final stages.
But a hole in one of Russell’s tires caused it to roll again when he changed his tires for the fourth time, leaving Perez facing a clear exit facing Renault’s Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll, the other Racing Point driver.
This was Pérez’s first victory since his main race win in Abu Dhabi in the GP2 series in 2010, and he also broke the record for the number of races in Formula One before the first win, as part of his 190 attempt. .
“I can’t speak,” said the Mexican. “I hope I am not dreaming, having dreamed of this moment for many years, it took 10 years, that’s incredible.”
He added: “I don’t know what to say. I thought my career evaporated after the first lap, like at the end of last week. But I didn’t give up, I recovered, progressed and did my best.”
He added: “This year was not so lucky, but he finally lined up with us. We deservedly won today. Mercedes had some problems, but I think my pace was strong enough at the end to stop George, who put in an incredible race today. .
Perez revealed that a mistake after stopping the first lap caused his tires to vibrate, before the car came back to life after a second stop, allowing him to avoid Okon and Strol before entering the second safety car.
Pérez’s victory came as part of his penultimate engagement with Racing Point, as he continued to seek the Red Bull seat the next year, with the aim of returning to the tournament in 2022 should those efforts prove unsuccessful.
