Cadillac has lost its maiden Formula 1 points finish in Monaco due to a post-race penalty that hands the Aston Martin-Honda alliance its first point instead.
Perez was 10th in the provisional classification, once Nico Hulkenberg was penalised 10 seconds for a collision with Carlos Sainz, but was summoned to see the stewards after the race over being out of position at the late-race standing restart.
That proved to be a fairly slam-dunk case, with Perez handed a 10-second time penalty that dropped him from 10th to 15th and last.
The stewards’ statement said: “Video evidence showed clearly that the front right wheel of car #11 [Perez] was outside the starting box. The standard penalty is applied.”
That was the second such infringement for Perez during the race as he erroneously pulled up into the vacant grid spot left by Gabriel Bortoleto’s Audi (which was starting from the pitlane) and earned a drivethrough penalty he served in the race.
Perez and Cadillac’s lost first F1 point was Aston Martin and Honda’s gain as Perez’s penalty promoted Fernando Alonso into 10th place.
Bortoleto moved up to 11th ahead of George Russell, Hulkenberg and Franco Colapinto.
Perez had been confident of keeping the point when he spoke to the media before the decision was made.
“We looked at different angles. It’s hard to prove from one angle,” Perez said.
“When you look from one angle it’s clear, but from another it isn’t that clear. So, I think they were just checking to make a decision.
“Regardless of that, we got P10 on track. We had no benefit of that [being out of position]. I actually had a very poor start, but lap one at the restart was incredible. It made us come back.”
He added: “From my side, I am optimistic from what I’ve seen, but at the end it’s down to the stewards.”
Perez even said there was a consideration to retire from the race at one stage.
“The team has to be very proud of the race that we achieved. We didn’t give up and it’s something great to see from everyone in Cadillac,” Perez said.
“We had one of the worst Monaco races I ever remember. We just had everything and we didn’t give up and that’s something great to see from the team.”
Perez said it was “not even in the big dreams” to be finishing in the top 10 so early in Cadillac’s journey.
“To make it on our sixth race and be on the points is something tremendous.”
“Like I said, regardless of that, a millimetre in or out, whatever they decide, I think it doesn’t change the fact that we got it on track by not giving up and by giving our best. The rest will come, I’m confident about it.”
