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Monaco podium earns Perez Driver of the Day award

By Adam Cooper FoxSports
Published | Updated
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Sahara Force India F1 Team's Mexican driver Sergio Perez holds his trophy on the podium at the Monaco street circuit, on May 29, 2016 in Monaco, after the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix. / AFP / ANDREJ ISAKOVIC (Photo credit should read ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP/Getty Images)

Sergio Perez has been voted by F1 fans worldwide as the Monaco GP's Driver of the Day.

The Force India driver started seventh but worked his way up to third with good strategy calls, and he was able to overcome strong pressure from Sebastian Vettel in the second half of the race.

"It's definitely a very special podium," said the Mexican. "Under normal conditions we wouldn't make it to the podium in normal pace. We don't have the pace to do it. Certainly in these conditions it is one of my best races in Formula One. Conditions out there were extremely difficult. So easy to make a mistake -- at every corner towards the end, every single lap you have to be really focussed. In the dry! You cannot imagine in that damp conditions."

Perez said the team got the strategy calls right: "Every stop that we had was key for our podium. The first one, by delaying it, I was coming into the pits to fit the Inter tyies and I ask in Turn 15 "how are the Inters doing?" they told me "not that good, it's your call." I decided I'd like to go a couple of laps more and that worked really well because we managed to jump Hulkenberg and another one. That really was key for our race.

"Then we came together with Sainz into the pits and my team did a fantastic stop, so we managed to overtake him in the pitlane, and then the decisive moment was the last one. The last stop. Going to the slick tire. Pitting one lap before Rosberg and Vettel we managed to jump them and that was very, very good. It was difficult to be out there on the slick tire and not to make a mistake. Then towards the end I had pressure from Vettel.

"I knew it was going to be very long stint on the soft so I was looking after my tires, especially in these cold conditions. It worked really well. I felt that I had Vettel under control, and it is a fantastic result. For the whole team. Everyone at my team deserves this one. I think we did the best job out there today. For us it means a win."