Perez thinks another one-two was possible: "Tremendous pace in the car"

Perez was hot on Carlos Sainz's heels, but an engine problem - caused by a sensor failure - meant he had to go through life with less power from the eighteenth lap onwards. According to the Red Bull Racing driver, that problem prevented a possible repeat of the double win in Imola.

Perez saw new double win lost

"I think we lost another one-two, to be honest," he says in conversation with Formula1.com. "I think we had a tremendous pace in the car, I was pushing Carlos, I was looking after my tyres on the first stint, and then this unfortunate issue with the engine. That’s a big shame."

The problem remained present for the rest of the race for Perez, who lost roughly thirty horsepower because of it, according to Christian Horner. Still, the Mexican almost managed to take third place from Sainz in the closing stages of the race, but he overshot on the dirty part of the track.

Even if his overtaking attempt had succeeded, however, Perez doubts he could have held on to it. "I think that if I had got him, he was going to overtake me back, because I was just too slow on the straights," he concludes.