In a mostly unspectacular season finale, Perez attempted to dive up the inside of Norris under braking for the Turns 6-7 chicane in a scrap for fourth place on lap 47 of 58.
But the Red Bull driver appeared to need two goes at turning in to make the apex, with the later correction sending Perez clattering into the front-left wheel of the McLaren MCL60.
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Perez was handed a five-second penalty for the bash, meaning he dropped from second place - with Max Verstappen leading a team 1-2 - on the road to fourth ahead of Norris.
Norris sarcastically reckoned it was “impressive” of Perez to make contact since he had allowed the RB19 driver to have the position.
Reflecting on the coming together, he said: “He was ahead [at the apex]. I tried to let him past!
“I was four car lengths away from the apex. Somehow, he still crashed into me… impressive. I literally tried to let him past and somehow he crashed into me.”
Perez would eventually be hauled in front of the FIA stewards for labelling their decision a “joke” as part of a “very bad” run of form from the referees in 2023.
This contravened the International Sporting Code. He escaped with a formal warning, having made a “genuine apology”.
Source: Autosport