Sergio Pérez: an unexpected podium

Expected to be one of the teams to watch this year after a successful end to the 2015 season, Force India was unable to achieve further results in 2016 before the Monaco meeting. The weather conditions and the scenario of the event, however, favored Sergio Pérez, who did not expect such a result.

“Being on the podium in Monaco in these conditions is special... because under normal conditions, we would not have been on the podium, admits Pérez at a press conference. We don't have the pace to do it. Certainly, in these conditions, it is one of my best races in F1 »

The VJM09 driver also explained that his team's excellent pit stops played a major role in their result. “The key... every stop we made was the key to our podium. The first, by delaying it. As I was about to enter the pits to fit the intermediates, I asked at turn 15 how were the tires performing? I was not given a very good answer.

I did a few more laps and it worked great because we managed to jump Hulkenberg. It was really essential for our race. Then we returned with Sainz in the pits and my team made a fantastic stop, and we managed to pass him. For the last stop, stop one lap before Rosberg and Hag and passing them was important. »

Find the full report and analysis of the Monaco Grand Prix, produced by our special correspondents in the Principality, in AUTO issue 2065hebdo, available from tomorrow evening at 22 p.m. in digital version, and from this Wednesday on newsstands.

Pierre Tassel