Perez defence at the “very limit” after avoiding airborne crash

Mercedes’ George Russell has revealed how his Italian Grand Prix nearly ended in tears after almost being sent airborne by Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.

Having taken an early pitstop to replace his damaged front wing following an incident at the start of the Monza Formula 1 race, Russell was charging through the field after rejoining in 12th after his second stop, making easy work of the midfield runners.

Russell attacked Perez on lap 38, the Mexican closing the door on the approach to the Rettifilo and barely leaving a car’s width on his right. The Briton brushed the grass with his right wheels but made the move stick nonetheless.

He went on to finish seventh after passing Haas’ Kevin Magnussen, albeit 39.7 seconds off race winner Charles Leclerc (Ferrari).

After the race, Russell pointed out his tussle with Perez had been too close for comfort given the speed both cars were travelling at and the lack of margin left by his rival.

When asked by a reporter if he’d had fun with Perez, the Mercedes driver retorted: “I mean, fun? I’m not sure you can just describe that ‘fun’, because I thought I was about to go airborne when he was squeezing me at 340km/h.

“But yeah, hard racing and at least glad to make it one position. It was right at the very, very limit.”

However, Russell does not intend to talk the incident through with Perez: “There’s nothing to say. We didn’t crash at the end of the day, and I got past him, but half a centimeter more and it could have been a different story.”

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff added that the Red Bull driver’s defence “probably” could be considered as “a move under braking”, though it actually occurred before both racers actually braked for the chicane.

“Was there enough of a gap? That gap was tiny but still, the move came late,” Wolff insisted.

Additional reporting by Mark Mann-Bryans