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F1 fans have reacted to Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez's crash in the final moments of the 2024 F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The two drivers took each other out on the 50th lap while battling for second.
Charles Leclerc had held P2 in the race for a long time. However, as he began to lose grip in his rear tires towards the end of the race, Perez closed up on him. In the meantime, Sainz was able to follow Perez, making it a three-way battle for second place on the podium. Leclerc held up the Red Bull behind him for two more laps, and Sainz was able to make his move to P3 as the 50th lap started.
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After the second turn, Sainz was seemingly ahead of Sergio Perez as the latter sneaked in from the inside line. As Sainz seemingly avoided the wall on his right, he turned into Perez and both crashed out of the race. The Grand Prix finished behind a virtual safety car as Oscar Piastri picked up his second win of the season.
Fans have shared their reactions to the incident on X (formerly Twitter), some criticizing Sainz.
One fan wrote,
"Carlos Sainz that was attempted murder"
"One year ban for Sainz right !?" a fan added.
However, other fans spoke out against Perez.
"WHAT IS PEREZ DOING," exclaimed a user.
Another fan added,
"Wtf was that from Perez"
As the race was one of the closest ones in the season so far, some fans felt it was a disappointing end because of the two competitive cars taking each other out.
"JUST INSANE WHAT A SAD ENDING TO SUCH A FREAKEN AWESOME RACE," a fan wrote.
"What a dramatic end to a race," another fan added.
How is the constructors' championship looking after Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez's disappointing end to Round 17?
Red Bull has led the Constructors' Championship since the start of the season. However, McLaren has been closing up on the leader rapidly. With the crash, the only chance of a Red Bull finishing on the podium vanished. Max Verstappen struggled the entire race and Lando Norris was able to get ahead of him.
McLaren now leads the constructors' world championship with a 20-point lead over Red Bull. Meanwhile, Ferrari gained only 18 points in the race because of Carlos Sainz's crash. They still sit in third place, 116 points clear of Mercedes in fourth place.
