Sergio Perez didn't enjoy the best Sprint Shootout at the
Shanghai International Circuit and he showed his frustration after it.
Finishing second in three of the first four
F1 races of the new season, the Mexican driver certainly had high expectations ahead of the 2024
Chinese Grand Prix, but his weekend didn't start the way he wanted it to start.
Prior to the proper Grand Prix race, the drivers will complete a Sprint, and for that, they also complete a qualifying, called the Sprint Shootout, which was very tricky, as it started raining at the end of the SQ2, with the SQ3 being held in wet conditions.
Lando Norris profited from that, winning the Sprint Shootout by more than a second, while
Red Bull and Ferrari cars seemingly struggled. While Perez finished first in SQ1 and third in SQ2, he couldn't find the same pace in wet conditions in SQ3.
As a result, the 34-year-old finished sixth, 2.435 seconds behind the pole-sitter, also behind one of the Ferrari cars, his teammate, and experienced duo of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.
After the race, Perez summarized his Sprint Shootout on social media, acknowledging tricky conditions, but also admitting to frustration, as he couldn't control his car as well as he wanted to.
As a result, currently the second man in the
2024 F1 World Drivers' Championship lost a chance to find for the front row, but he's determined to recover lost places in the Sprint, which should favour Red Bull, should it be held in dry conditions.
"Very tricky conditions out there, everything changed in the last minute. A little frustrated with my final Q3 lap, I went out on the final corner and lost the chance to stay up front. However this track offers a lot overtaking chances, so tomorrow we can fight from there."
