“I Was Losing Strength” – Red Bull F1’s Sergio Perez Left on the Brink at US GP

As F1 races come and go, this season often evokes the feeling that nothing will top the race we have just experienced; the United States GP did just that. One of the most intense races of the season, it was pure racing from the start to the finish. And as much as it was riveting to watch, the vigorous race took its toll on the racers. Most of all, Sergio Perez.

Sergio Perez wasn’t the only one struggling with the heat and pressure of the circuit. All the drivers stepped out of their cars reaching out for towels and a big gulp from their water bottles. Not only was the race intense across the field, the temperatures of the track and the cars only added to their exhaustion.

The Texan heat made it a bad day for Perez to drive around without a water bottle in his car. During the race, the Mexican complained that his drink system had malfunctioned; something that stayed unchanged until the end of the race.

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An exhausted Mexican later explained his plight. “Since lap one, I ran out of water! I think by the middle of my second stint it was starting to get pretty difficult, losing strength.” The Mexican concluded, “I think [that was] my toughest race ever physically.”

Sergio Perez explains the situation in the cockpit

Perez also confessed that he had been feeling unwell before the race; it was an overall hopeless situation for the driver, who got into the detail of what it was like inside the hot Red Bull. “From lap 20, I was completely gone. I had no strength. I was losing strength on my hands, strength on my feet. The vision as well was getting quite uncomfortable.”

Nonetheless, the driver pressed on. “It was just a surviving mode; trying to keep up. There was a time, that if I had a bad moment, I wouldn’t be able to control the car. It was the longest race of my life.”

Sergio Perez managed a phenomenal podium while being weak in the car, making it his second consecutive appearance on the stage. However, one can only wonder the power the driver will have when given a drink and the roars of his home crowd. As Perez makes his way to the Mexican GP, maybe it’s time for a home race win for Checo. Till then, the champagne should suffice.

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