São Paulo Grand Prix · News
Perez summoned to stewards after object leaves Cadillac cockpit
Sergio Perez is under investigation at Interlagos after an object came out of his Cadillac during practice; he is due to speak to the stewards before qualifying.
Sergio Perez is under investigation by the São Paulo Grand Prix stewards after an object was seen leaving the cockpit of his Cadillac during practice at Interlagos. Officials have cited the Mexican for allegedly driving in an unsafe condition and are due to hear from him before qualifying.
The incident happened late in the hour-long session. Perez’s race engineer, Carlo Pasetti, asked over the radio what he had thrown from the car during an out-lap. Perez said he did not know exactly what had come loose, but thought it was a small box associated with where the radio cables are kept. Pasetti acknowledged the explanation and said the team would look into it.
Stewards to hear Perez before qualifying
The stewards have also opened their own review and will speak to Perez before qualifying. Their citation describes the concern as alleged driving in an unsafe condition, following the unusual incident in the cockpit.
The object’s identity has not been confirmed. Perez’s account was that something had detached from the car; he was unsure of the item, suggesting it may have been the box connected with the radio wiring. The team’s investigation and the stewards’ hearing are separate steps, with both now set to examine what happened.
Perez was 20th in the practice order
Perez ended the session 20th of 22 drivers, with his time 1.951 seconds behind the benchmark set by Max Verstappen of Red Bull. The classification placed him near the bottom of the order, while attention shifted to the object that had come out of the cockpit and the pending steward review.
No decision from the stewards was reported before the hearing. The immediate question is whether their examination of the incident will establish what came loose and whether the circumstances meet the threshold described in their citation. For more on Perez’s Cadillac commitment, see our previous coverage. The episode also brings fresh attention to his record of steward scrutiny, although the source of the object and the outcome of this investigation remain unresolved.