Sergio Perez will start the Australian Grand Prix from the pitlane after engine and set-up changes following his Formula 1 qualifying crash.
The Red Bull driver had a nightmare Saturday in Melbourne with several off-track moments in final practice and a costly crash in qualifying that put him at the back of the grid.
He hit the wall and did not take part in the rest of Q1, eliminating him from qualifying – and unsurprisingly Red Bull has decided to swap 20th on the grid for a pitlane start to make some strategic changes.
Perez was already heading for a grid penalty for a new energy store and control electronics as he needed new ones in Saudi Arabia.
Changing them now alongside some set-up changes, presumably ones to help him make progress through the field, means he can get new components in the pool in a more convenient way.
Future changes will also carry a five-place drop instead of 10 places now.
Red Bull has also made an effort to alleviate Perez’s struggles on the brakes yesterday, by changing the front brake friction material.
What is not exactly clear with that change is what, if any, specific issue Red Bull found.
Perez was adamant something was not right with his RB19 and described it as feeling like the brake balance was shifting forward whenever he tried to slow the car down.
Red Bull appeared uncertain there was an issue and there is no major change such as a brake-by-wire replacement, although the new brake friction material may still address a specific concern.
In addition to Perez, Valtteri Bottas will also start the race from the pitlane. The Alfa Romeo driver qualified slowest of the 19 drivers to set a time in a bizarrely uncompetitive performance and his team has also made suspension set-up changes in parc ferme.
