Sergio Perez handed grid penalty following Baku Qualifying incident

Sergio Perez Handed Grid Penalty Following Baku Qualifying Incident

The stewards at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix have handed Sergio Perez a three-place grid penalty following a qualifying incident that impeded McLaren’s Oscar Piastri during Q1.

The Incident in Q1

At the time of the encounter, Piastri was travelling at approximately 300kph, while Perez was managing a preparation lap at 248kph. According to the stewards' investigation, Perez had been notified twice of the approaching McLaren, yet the impediment still occurred.

Stewards’ Decision and Regulatory Breach

• Failure to follow instructions: Race director's instructions mandate that drivers must stay on the right-hand side of the track during preparation laps.
• Improper positioning: Perez was weaving to warm his tyres, which caused him to obstruct Piastri's line.
• Ignored warnings: Perez had received two separate warnings regarding the arrival of the McLaren.

Despite the penalty, Piastri noted to the stewards that, although he was forced to lift, he did not feel any significant loss of time. You can learn more about the nuances of the circuit in our 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix: detailed race report.

Impact on the Grid

The three-place penalty significantly alters the starting order for the race. Perez, who originally qualified in P19, will now start from P20 on the grid. This shift is compounded by existing penalties in the lower order, as both Aston Martin drivers received back-of-the-grid engine penalties, resulting in Valtteri Bottas swapping positions with his teammate.