Huge Crash at Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix Leaves Sergio Pérez's Car Demolished

Tim Capurso | May 26, 2024

May 5, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Red Bull Racing driver Sergio Perez (11) during the Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

The Monaco Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco, complete with tight corners and many changes in elevation, is regarded as one of the most demanding tracks that Formula 1 racing has to offer. The first lap of Sunday's race was a clear demonstration as to why.

Red Bull driver Sergio Pérez, starting Sunday's race 18th on the grid as a result of his failure to progress to Q2 on Saturday, was looking to make up ground just as Haas drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hülkenberg, who were disqualified from qualifying, were looking to do the same.

Magnussen raced past Hülkenberg at the opening turn but collided with the back of Pérez's car as the track narrowed, sending both vehicles into the barrier and taking Hülkenberg, who had nowhere to go, out of commission as well.

f1 absolutely terrifies me because WHAT IS THIS??? i’m so glad everyone is alright checo’s car got demolished pic.twitter.com/D1hRG60Y50

— saff (@lovepiastri) May 26, 2024

The crash resulted in a red flag and forced each of Pérez, Magnussen and Hulkenberg to retire from the race early. Pérez's Red Bull was left destroyed by the accident, which sent debris flying around the track.

The state of Checo's car after that crash 😳 pic.twitter.com/muYtuSqNTR

— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) May 26, 2024

Fortunately, none of the drivers were injured in the wreckage, but they also were none too pleased with what occurred.

"I was getting out of the corner, I had basically… On my onboard there is no point where you see Kevin and I was just pretty surprised that he kept it flat at that point, because it was just very unnecessary," said Pérez, per Formula 1's website. "We had a lot of damage, we had a very dangerous incident. It was a massive incident, and my car is completely destroyed."

Magnussen called the incident "frustrating."

 “I think I was with my front alongside Pérez’s rear, from the exit of Turn 1 on the run up to Turn 3," said Magnussen. "He goes towards the wall, the wall comes a little bit back towards the track, and I had nowhere to go.

“I don’t know if he didn’t see me or what, but I can’t just disappear out of the blue. I made contact with the wall and him at the same time, and unfortunately we had a crash.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc ended up winning the Monaco Grand Prix, holding off McLaren's Oscar Piastri.