BREAKING NEWS: Red Bull’s Sergio Perez loses control and smashes into a wall at Hungarian Grand Prix, just five minutes into practice, leaving his car crumpled as Daniel Ricciardo threatens his future

Sergio Perez crashed early into the first Hungarian GP practice session to cause a red flag. 

After he dipped his left wheels onto the grass going into turn five, his car spun out and smashed into the barrier, leaving the front left of the Red Bull damaged.

The rookie error piles more pressure onto the Mexican with just two races before the summer break after Daniel Ricciardo returned to the grid with Alpha Tauri. 

Ex-Red Bull man Ricciardo said on Thursday that ‘the dream is a Red Bull seat’ while Perez, current team No 2, has insisted his future is in his own hands. 

Over the team radio, he said: ‘I cannot believe this. I caught the grass on the outside, I think.’ 

Perez sits second in the Drivers’ Championship but has only been on the podium in one of the last five races, whereas his team-mate, Verstappen, has won all five.  

Sergio Perez crashed at turn five early in the first practice session at the Hungarian GP 

His mistake caused a red flag, bringing proceedings to a temporary close early in the weekend

Red Bull brought in their second major upgrade of the season coming into this weekend.

Pressure is mounting on Perez after recent sub-par performances. Checo has not even made Q3 since the Miami GP – there have been five races since then.

Until his recent slump, he had been performing solidly at F1’s dominant team. He won two of the first five races this campaign, finishing second in two more and fifth in one. 

But since Miami, where he came runner-up, he has only claimed one podium in five races, with Mercedes, Aston Martin, Ferrari, McLaren, and Alpine lapping up top-three placements.