MUST-SEE: Dramatic start to Monaco qualifying as Perez crashes into the barrier

Sergio Perez’s hopes of a first pole position in Monaco were dashed when the Red Bull driver crashed into the barrier on a flying lap in Q1, ending his qualifying and bringing a halt to proceedings.

Perez was setting out on another flying lap in Q1 but, on the exit of Turn 1, he slammed into the barrier, damaging the left-hand side of his car in the process. That impact forced him to stop on track, and brought out the red flags.

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“It was going well, I was happy with the balance,” said Perez afterwards, “but going into the corner, I just lost the rear end quite late into the corner, and then I became a passenger because it was so late that I had nowhere to go – I could not cut the corner or go out of the corner and I ended up touching the wall, which is a big mistake from my side, and I’m very sorry for my team.

“This mistake is just very difficult to digest,” he added. “I don’t know what to say – just sorry for my team, they don’t deserve this... I’m really disappointed with myself and it’s going to be a very difficult day tomorrow to do anything.”

The crash is a huge dent in Perez’s hopes of taking a second consecutive victory in Monaco, with the Mexican racer now set to start down the field in P20 in Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Click on the video player above to relive Perez’s qualifying-ending crash in Monaco.