Amid the frenzy of Perez's home race, and constant speculation about his contract, the 33-year-old knew that a good performance at Mexico City would help silent doubts about his future and prove that hints of a turnaround in form from Austin were real.
But a win-or-bust attitude at Turn 1 backfired as he clashed with Charles Leclerc, was launched down the escape road, and suffered too much damage to keep racing.
