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MONTE CARLO: Defending drivers world champion Sebastian Vettel said Mexican rookie Sergio Perez's accident during Saturday's qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix should be seen as “a wake-up call” in the constant pursuit of improved safety in Formula One.
German Vettel, 23, who leads this year's title chase, secured the 20th pole position of his career and his fifth in six races this year to enhance his prospects of increasing his 41-points' advantage at the top of the standings.
But his feat was overshadowed by concerns for the 21-year-old driver from Guadalajara who lost control of his Sauber car at around 265 kph as he came out of the tunnel and began braking ahead of the chicane.
“If we have comparisons to the past then between the lines you can read criteria that things are too safe these days – but things like these are a wake-up call,” said Vettel.
“We have to make sure we learn from this, although there is little we can do for tomorrow.
“The best message is that Sergio is ok. We race on street circuits like this, or Singapore, and it is the drivers' job to make sure we defend ourselves. That should be the target.
“But the most important thing is that Sergio is ok and we will have a good and safe race tomorrow.”
Englishman Jenson Button of McLaren, who qualified second on the grid alongside Vettel, said he wished Perez a swift recovery.
“It's great that he's talking and ok,” said the 2009 world champion.
“I went in there (the barriers at the chicane) in 2003 and I know how much it hurts. I'm not sure if he'll be racing tomorrow, but hopefully he'll get well soon.”
Button was concussed and missed several weeks' action after his accident at the same place where not only Perez, on Saturday, but other drivers including German Nico Rosberg, of Mercedes, on Saturday morning, Briton David Couthard, in a Red Bull, in 2008, and most notably Austrian Karl Wendlinger, also in a Sauber, in 1994, crashed.
Wendlinger was left in a coma for nearly three weeks after the crash, which ended his Formula One career.
There were deep concerns for Perez after he had been taken to the circuit medical centre. His father Antonio, who was in the Sauber garage at the time, hurried to be with him as reports that he was alive, conscious, and able to speak spread around the harbour.
The session was red-flagged and interrupted for 38 minutes before the final three minutes resumed. None of the leading positions changed as, led by McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, the top drivers were unable to warm their tyres sufficiently to improve their times.
Button was second-fastest behind the German ahead of third-placed Australian Mark Webber in the second Red Bull and two-times champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Ferrari.
Six-times Monaco winner and seven times drivers champion German Michael Schumacher, 42, of Mercedes, qualified fifth ahead of Brazilian Felipe Massa of Ferrari and Briton Lewis Hamilton in the second McLaren.
Hamilton had been on a flying lap at the time of Perez's accident and the delay deprived him, and the vast crowd around the harbour-side street circuit, of a true chance to challenge for pole.
In the final minutes, when the top nine all went out again, it proved impossible to improve times.
Asked about Sunday's 78-laps race, Vettel said: “It is a long race always here, a bit of a casino. Seventy-eight laps is a long race and as we have seen Grands Prix this year, with multiple pit-stops, that could change in the last minutes.
“But one thing that remains unchanged is that pole position is very important here. All eyes are on tomorrow's race and we have to push hard. So, we will see what we can do. All in all, I am very happy with qualifying, starting on the clean side, so it couldn't be any better.”
