Sergio Perez has revealed a key detail regarding his penultimate lap crash with Carlos Sainz at the Azerbaijan Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Perez was back to his best throughout the Baku weekend, initially passing Sainz for third on the opening lap.

The Red Bull driver held on to that position and was briefly in contention for the win at the Baku Street Circuit before eventual winner Oscar Piastri pulled clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

With Leclerc’s rear tyre dropping into the abyss, Perez then threatened the Monégasque for second. When a move into Turn 1 on the penultimate lap failed, it allowed Sainz to ease into the final podium position.

However, as Perez passed Sainz on the exit of Lap 2, the pair collided as Sainz drifted onto the line, causing a collision and a hard hit against the wall.

Reflecting on the incident, Perez told the media: “I’m extremely disappointed that both teams ended their weekend like that.

“It’s a pity because when we came out of Lap 2, there was a metre between the cars. And then, within a metre or two, we collided.

“I think, obviously, I understood what Carlos was trying to do to follow Charles, but I was there, you know?

“It happened very quickly because he had more speed, and the way he moved he touched my right front tyre quite quickly.”

Sainz didn’t see it

The dramatic incident put George Russell in third place and on the podium, denying Perez his first podium finish since the Chinese Grand Prix last April.

Perez and Sainz were interviewed after the incident at a police station, where the Spaniard informed the 34-year-old of the key details that led to the crash.

When asked what Sainz said during the conversation, the Red Bull driver revealed: “Basically, at that point, he didn’t know I was there.

“And as I said, the most disappointing thing for me is that we came out of turn two with only a metre between the cars, but we still collided within two metres.”

The accident is under investigation and is the third involving Sainz and Perez in the past week.

Sainz was cautioned for impeding Perez on Friday, before Perez was cautioned after FP3 for a similar offence.

“It’s a shame, because Carlos is definitely the last person I want to have an incident with, and it’s a shame that both of us ruined our weekend,” Perez added.