Sergio Perez has defended Red Bull’s strategy during qualifying in Canada as he failed to reach Q3 for the third successive grand prix event.
It marked the Mexican’s fourth time this year that he hasn’t taken part in the final segment of qualifying.
Perez dropped out after Q2 in Montreal as Red Bull was caught out by rain that intensified shortly after the start of the session.
A number of drivers had switched to dry weather tyres and set their fastest times on the Softs before the rainfall increased.
But Red Bull planned to set a banker on the Intermediates first – a decision that Perez was happy to comply with.
“We took the decision together and we got it wrong but it was literally a gamble, I think we were missing four or five tenths and it was all down to the track,” he said.
“It was basically half a lap too late and track position was really poor with the Alfa Romeo ahead.
“Once the tyres were up to temperature on the slick it started raining harder so we decided to box, and then on the inter it was all a bit too late.
“That was always the plan, do one lap and come back into the slick tyres.”
Perez has endured a difficult run of events and his deficit to team-mate Max Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship now sits at 53 points.
However, the 33-year-old asserts that he is focused on recovering from the challenging moments he has faced.
“Definitely not feeling great, not going through a great moment, but we’ve come back before and tomorrow it’s a new opportunity to hopefully get back into very strong points,” he said.
“I think today what happened it was just a mess really. I think being half a lap earlier here and there the picture would have looked a lot different, and yesterday we had a good day, so we just have to keep our heads down and it’ll come to us.
“We will try hard to get through the field tomorrow, it won’t be an easy ask but we will try everything.”
