Sergio Pérez Reprimanded After Q1 Impeding at Montreal
Sergio Pérez was reprimanded by the stewards at the Canadian Grand Prix after impeding Fernando Alonso in Q1, but he avoided a second penalty of the weekend. The decision leaves the Cadillac driver with his first reprimand of the 2026 F1 season after officials reviewed the Montreal incident.
Montreal Stewards Review
Pérez was called before the officials after blocking Alonso heading into the lap-ending chicane during the grid-setting session at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. He qualified P20, just behind Alonso, and the stewards decided against punishing him further because of mitigating circumstances.
The review was not based on a quick glance. The stewards heard from the driver and the team representative and reviewed positioning and marshalling system data, video, timing and in-car video evidence before making their decision.
What Pérez Said
According to the stewards' decision, Pérez said that he thought the car behind was weaving on a cool-down lap when, in fact, it was overtaking another car. The officials said the driver failed to comply with the Competition Notes, but they still imposed only a reprimand after weighing the circumstances.
The full ruling also showed the split between judgment and outcome. Pérez’s mistake was enough to draw official discipline, but not enough for a harsher sanction, which is why the weekend ends with a reprimand rather than something heavier on his record.
First Reprimand of 2026
That matters because it is Pérez’s first reprimand of the 2026 F1 season, and it comes in a weekend already marked by another penalty threat. For a driver who arrived in Montreal as a six-time grand prix winner, starting from P20 and leaving with a stewards’ note adds another layer to a difficult event.
The practical takeaway for Pérez is simple: the stewards accepted that the situation could be read the wrong way, but they still recorded the breach. The next time he is in a similar position, this Montreal decision will already be sitting on his season file.
