"We were on for P3, P2 maybe": Sergio Perez left disappointed by another poor qualifying session

Sergio Perez was quite disappointed with how his qualifying session went at the 2023 F1 Brazilian GP.

The Mexican was only able to secure ninth place in Q3, while his teammate Max Verstappen bagged yet another pole position. Though Checo was not happy with his qualifying, he was positive with the car's pace.

Speaking to the media, Sergio Perez stated how unlucky he was with the changing weather conditions. He feels that he could have made it to P3 or even P2 with the pace he had in the car. Checo recalled that when he was going for his final push lap, he saw Piastri off the track and yellow flags which is why he had to back out of the lap.

"We were just incredibly unlucky today, I think we had the pace to qualify in the first two rows at least. We were on for P3, P2 maybe. My lap was very close to Max’s until the last corner… and I found Piastri so I had to back off my lap." (via Motorsportweek.com)

Perez also pointed out how he was unfortunate with the rain and track temperature that was quickly dropping. Despite all this, he was happy to see the pace of the car around Interlagos Circuit and was looking forward to grabbing any opportunities during the main race.

The Red Bull driver concluded:

"I also think we went out a little too late, the rain picked us up and the track temperate was cooling quickly. The positive is we seem to have very strong pace. But definitely [feeling confident], there are some good points and good opportunities to race from here."

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Sergio Perez looks to Max Verstappen for help in securing second place in the drivers' championship

Sergio Perez believes Max Verstappen will come to his aid when he is fighting for second place in the drivers' championship table. Checo stated how the entire team will benefit from it and how he expects help from the reigning world champion.

Last Word on Sports quoted him as saying:

"If the situation arises, I am sure Max will help me. We just haven’t thought about it yet. It is also important to have the support of the team. We are in this together, and it’s also nice to feel support from the fans."

Lewis Hamilton is currently third and is chasing Sergio Perez for second place in the drivers' championship.