Perez nabbed pole on his first Q3 run as team-mate Max Verstappen made a mistake and aborted his lap, with Perez main Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.
Leclerc then crashed on the second run, bringing out a crimson flag that ended the session with out anybody getting a second lap on the board, locking Perez in for pole.
The consequence got here as a shock to the Mexican, who had been struggling for tempo in comparison with his team-mate and the Ferraris till that time.
In Q1 Perez was third 0.350s behind Verstappen, whereas in Q2 Perez dropped to fifth over half a second in arrears. In FP3 he had additionally been half a second off the Dutchman.
“I believe it has been my worst weekend as much as qualifying, actually,” he stated.
“I simply could not determine how you can pull these tenths that I used to be lacking on a regular basis to Max and to the Ferraris. I used to be simply resetting every little thing.
“We did a small grow to be qualifying and every little thing turned extra alive. And I believe with this tarmac we had been simply enjoying a bit with the instruments, and we put the lap in when it mattered.”
Sergio Perez, Crimson Bull Racing RB19
Picture by: Michael Potts / Motorsport Images
Perez defined he had been struggling for stability on Miami’s brand-new tarmac, which affords little grip and caught a number of drivers out.
When requested what he was lacking, he stated: “Simply every little thing. It wasn’t coming collectively.
“It is a kind of weekends the place I used to be simply struggling for stability, confidence. This tarmac may be very delicate to temperature.”
With Verstappen beginning down in ninth, Sunday’s Miami GP affords an incredible alternative for Perez to not solely take his third win of the season but additionally overtake his Crimson Bull companion within the drivers’ championship for the primary time in his Crimson Bull profession.
“I am simply considering race by race I’ll exit, cheer for my crew as a result of they’ve carried out an incredible job and yeah see what occurs tomorrow,” he added.
“Tomorrow it is a new alternative ranging from pole.”
