Sergio Perez looked ‘really destroyed’ at his ‘lowest point’ at the end of one race in 2023

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Journalist Diego Mejia has named the one race that took the most out of Sergio Perez during his difficult 2023 season.

Perez finished second in the championship behind Red Bull teammate and champion Max Verstappen, but the margin between the two was the largest in F1 history.

And speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Mejia revisited the bleakest moment for Perez.

Perez won two of the first four races in 2023, which suggested that he could challenge Verstappen for the championship.

However, he would not taste victory again before the end of the season as the Dutchman took the chequered flag at 17 of the next 18 events.

Perez actually managed just six podiums in that stretch too and had to fend off Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton for the runner-up spot.

Diego Mejia recalls lowest point for Sergio Perez

Reflecting on Perez’s woes last year, Mejia picked out the Japanese Grand Prix as his poorest race.

The former McLaren driver qualified fifth on the grid, nearly eight tenths of a second adrift of polesitter Verstappen.

He was then forced to make an early pit stop after damaging his front wing in contact with Hamilton at the start of the race.

As he tried to make his way back through the field, he made contact with the Haas of Kevin Magnussen, earning himself a penalty.

Perez then appeared to retire, but rejoined the race to serve his punishment and avoid the grid drop at the following event.

Mejia said: “I think the lowest point for Checo was around probably Japan. 

“I remember in the pen, when he retired after serving the penalty [so as] not to get a grid drop in the next race, he was really destroyed.”

Will Perez race for Red Bull in 2025?

While Perez hasn’t been able to challenge Verstappen for victory in either Bahrain or Saudi Arabia, he has at least enjoyed a steadier start to the campaign.

He progressed from a disappointing fifth place on the grid to second in Sakhir, and also completed a one-two in Jeddah after lining up third.

BBC F1 commentator Harry Benjamin felt it was a ‘better’ showing from the 34-year-old, but still wants to see more.

One thing that may help him is that one of his main rivals for the seat has failed to impress thus far.

Daniel Ricciardo slumped to 16th for sister team Visa Cash App RB last time out, spinning under no pressure at turn one late in the race.

David Croft called it a ‘frustrating’ evening for the Australian, who will have to do more to dislodge Perez and seal a Red Bull return.