Perez: “I could have won”

Sergio Perez is convinced that he could have won the Malaysian Formula 1 GP, finishing in second place behind Fernando Alonso. The Mexican with a great race threatened the Ferrari Spaniard's first place in Sepang but he had to settle for second place after making a mistake in the final laps.

“I think winning today was really possible” declared Perez, fifth in the championship and indicated as a possible replacement for Felipe Massa at Ferrari.

“Obviously the team did a really good job getting me back at the right time. We only lost a little time at the end of the second pitstop, the clutch was having some problems, but I was able to catch up on Alonso lap after lap. I lost control of the car and the possibility of fighting for the victory. However it's still a great day for the team. They called me back at the right time. The conditions were very difficult, it was hard to keep the car on the track and it was incredible. They allowed me to concentrate, they called me back for stops at the right time, it was crucial."

“I knew I had to be fast to overtake him and I hadn't experienced much tire degradation,” added Perez. “I was looking for a way to pass him and then I ran a little wide, hit a wet curb and was lucky not to go out. In the end, second place is a fantastic result for the team. That's a lot of points. This is only the second race, we hope to continue fighting."