F1: Perez Set To Start Last After Gearbox Change

Formula 1

F1: Perez Set To Start Last After Gearbox Change

Sergio Perez will line up 22nd on the Australian GP grid...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted March 17, 2012 Melbourne (AUS)

Sergio Perez is not a big fan of the media. (Photo: Getty Images)

Sergio Perez will start from the back of the grid in Australia after his Sauber required a gearbox change.

Unable to do a flying lap in Q2, Perez ended the session in 17th. He has gone back to 22nd, and with the HRTs not starting, that means he will be last.

Qualifying had started out with considerable promise for the Swiss team as Kamui Kobayashi was fastest in Q1, only for the Japanese driver to struggle in Q2 and end up in 13th.

“After a very promising start to qualifying, the result is obviously a big disappointment,” said team boss Peter Sauber. “Kamui was quickest in Q1 with a time that would have been seventh best in Q2. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out for him in Q2 and he was out.

“Sergio suffered a gearbox failure and didn’t have the chance to set a time in the second qualifying session. The positive thing is we confirmed that our car is fast, which gives us hope for the race, although overtaking is not easy here.”

Adam Cooper notched up his 27th season as a racing journalist in 2011. He has written about F1 for SPEED.com since 2005. Follow him on Twitter.