Sergio Perez believes his battles with Nikita Mazepin and Lando Norris cost him sixth place in the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. Red Bull driver Perez was forced to make an early pit-stop after he flat-spotted his tyres when racing Mazepin into Turn 1 and says he suffered floor damage when colliding with Norris in the latter stages of the race. "We managed to minimise the damage, especially on this track which is very much impossible to overtake [at]," Perez explained to RacingNews365.com and other select members of the press. "A lot of risk had to be taken. "Our race was really complicated a lot with Nikita in the beginning, because I flat-spotted my tyres. He moved really late in the braking [zone], and just to avoid him I flat-spotted my tyres, I had to come in and basically start our race again, and I think that cost us probably P6." Norris claimed he left Perez enough room as the pair went side-by-side at the exit of Turn 1. Perez described the move as "unnecessary" and left him with "nowhere to go". "It was a sensible race, apart from the touch with Lando as well, which [damaged the] right-hand side of the floor. It took away [performance] and I think that also cost us P6," continued Perez. "But the positive is obviously Max [Verstappen] won the race for the team, and we have our new engine, so we're good for the rest of the year." Red Bull lost five points to Mercedes in the Constructors' Championship despite Verstappen's victory. Team Principal Christian Horner thinks Perez delivered a strong recovery drive. "I actually think his drive back through the field was fantastic," said Horner. "He was the only guy I could see really overtaking. "To come back there into the points [and score] important points for us was a very strong race for him."
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