Mexican driver Sergio Perez has hinted that Red Bull Racing has implemented a new strategy to combat the expected high tire wear in the Australian Grand Prix of Formula 1. During practice sessions at the Albert Park Circuit, Red Bull seemed to be at a disadvantage compared to Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc leading in the second and third sessions. However, Max Verstappen’s impressive lap time allowed Red Bull to maintain their flawless performance. Despite Carlos Sainz securing a front-row start for Ferrari, Perez was disappointed with his final run, as he failed to optimize the first sector and ended up 0.359 seconds behind his teammate. Unfortunately, Perez has been penalized with a three-place grid drop for impeding Nico Hulkenberg during Q1. Despite this setback, Perez remains optimistic and believes that the high tire degradation expected in the race will create opportunities for him to make progress. He acknowledges the challenges of qualifying and the varying requirements of each sector but is confident that good race pace will allow him to move up the field.
In the tabloid format, Pirelli has decided to bring the Softest compounds from its range for the race. Sergio Perez, a Red Bull driver, has indicated that the team has adjusted their setup to manage tire degradation. When asked about the advantage of Red Bull’s straight-line speed in finding a balance between attacking and managing the tires, Perez responded by saying that they will have to wait and see on race day. He mentioned that they have made changes to their strategy and are curious to see who can handle the degradation the best.
Max Verstappen, the Red Bull driver who secured pole position, revealed that small adjustments made to his car before qualifying helped Red Bull find the optimal setup that they struggled to find during practice. Perez agreed with Verstappen, acknowledging that it had been a challenging weekend for the team. He expressed his hope that their changes will benefit their chances in the race. Perez admitted that the weekend had not been easy, as they had been experimenting with the base setup and making significant changes to find the right balance and manage tire degradation. They have made adjustments and are eager to see if these changes will impact the degradation during the race.