• Korean Grand Prix

Perez dismisses 'crazy' claim from Hamilton

Sergio Perez lost control trying to pass Lewis Hamilton and spun off in to the gravel © Sutton Images

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• News:
• Perez admits to mistake while trying to pass Hamilton
  

• Drivers:
• Lewis Hamilton
• |
• Sergio Perez

• Teams:
• Alfa Romeo

Sergio Perez has dismissed Lewis Hamilton's description of his driving in Suzuka having labelled Perez's overtaking attempts as "crazy".

Early in the Japanese Grand Prix, Perez dived down the inside of Hamilton from a long way back at the hairpin, but after the race Hamilton said he hadn't tried to defend because: "I thought he was going to do a crazy manoeuvre, which he did."

Having dropped behind Hamilton again, Perez attempted a repeat manoeuvre only to spin out of the race as Hamilton defended the inside line, but Perez defended his approach.

"I will not call it crazy," Perez said. "I wanted to gain the position, Suzuka is a very difficult place to overtake; you don't have a lot of places it's all high-speed, so if you are behind a car you will lose grip in the tyres like hell. So it's important to get past the car and it's one of the few places where you can do it, I saw the opportunity and I tried. I don't think it was a crazy manoeuvre."

Perez also said that he didn't feel added scrutiny was putting him under more pressure having been announced as Hamilton's replacement next year.

"In a way I feel more relaxed if anything because I have my future secured. I want to finish my season on a high as we have started this season. I'm fully focused on my team - I'm not thinking about McLaren at the moment - I'm fully focused on this year to try and finish the five races on a high, give my maximum until the last lap I drive for this team and then I'll start thinking for McLaren. I'm not too concerned about it. I did a mistake, I will learn from that, and that's all. It's normal that people criticise you after a mistake and they start to talk, but it's perfectly normal."

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