Sergio Perez of Mexico, racing for Red Bull, is confident that he is in a significantly improved position compared to a year ago. This improvement will help him avoid the slump that characterized his previous Formula 1 season. In the first two rounds of the 2024 season, Perez has achieved consecutive second-place finishes, trailing behind his teammate Max Verstappen. However, he experienced similar results last season before facing a setback in Australia. During qualifying, Perez failed to post a time and started the race in last place. Despite this, Perez is optimistic about his current situation. He believes that he has a stronger foundation to build upon, thanks to better preparation and understanding throughout race weekends.
Perez expressed his satisfaction with the first two races and the progress made by the team. They have gained a better understanding of the race weekends and have improved their review and preparation processes. Perez is pleased with the start of the season and believes that there is more to come from their side.
During the previous Formula 1 season, Perez’s struggles began with his Q1 exit in Melbourne. Throughout the season, he failed to start inside the top 10 on nine occasions, leading to a difficult mid-season period. Perez attributed these difficulties to the RB19 car not aligning with his natural driving style. As a result, extensive evaluations were conducted with his engineers in the later months of the season. These discussions proved to be crucial in ensuring that Perez avoids similar struggles this year.
When asked about his comparison between the RB20 and its predecessor, Perez stated that they are in a much better place in terms of understanding the car. They have improved their ability to assess and adapt when things are not going their way. Through extensive exploration and experimentation with the car’s setup, they have gained a clear understanding of what works for them. This has put them in a significantly improved position compared to last year. They have also made better progress during race weekends, allowing Perez to feel more connected with the car and the team for the remainder of the year.