Sergio Perez: “I wanted to have a few conversations over the summer break, it’s perfectly timed”
There were good things and bad things to come out of Saturday's qualifying session for Sergio Perez, but the Mexican was happy to be able to start in second position tomorrow, behind Charles Leclerc.
Qualified in third position on Saturday, with a time of 1:53.159, Sergio Perez will start from second place on the grid on Sunday, thanks to a penalty from his teammate Max Verstappen for an engine change. The Mexican is satisfied with his performance, after several (very) difficult weekends and numerous speculations about his future at Red Bull.
During the post-qualifying press conference, the driver nevertheless expressed mixed feelings about his car’s performance. « We tried a lot of things. We kept trying everything. And it’s never ideal when there’s no progress. Today again, we tried a lot of things », he explained. « I think we found a more pleasant window, somewhat similar to Hungary’s direction. But we were much happier with the car, although it was in intermediate conditions. »
He emphasized that balance at medium and high speeds was positive. « So, let’s see. Tomorrow will be a very different day. Let’s see how much we can improve. »
Interviewed about his surprise at his speed in Q3 after just passing Q2, the driver replied: “I think I was already fast in Q1, Q2. The problem was our race program. We finished a lap ahead of everyone else. I think I was in P4 or something like that. But when you miss a lap, everything is really tight. So, we were very fortunate to be able to do it. It was definitely a mistake in our race program to leave us so vulnerable.”
Sergio Perez remains cautious for the race on Sunday
Regarding the car’s performance on a dry track, he added: « Yesterday, McLaren seemed very strong. But at the same time, we are not so far behind. We made some changes for tomorrow. We will see. I think that after the first stint, we will have a good idea. »
Despite recent criticisms about the level of service at the Mexican, the driver remains optimistic. « I wanted to have some conversations during the summer break. It’s perfectly synchronized. I think that’s often the case. »
He also reflected on the unpredictability of sports: From my point of view, it doesn’t change anything. I’ve always said that it’s not about what we are now, it’s about how we ride the waves. Many drivers have not been able to maximize their performance lately, but my consistency has been quite high. From my point of view, it doesn’t change anything.
Looking towards the future, he concluded: Tomorrow is a new day, a new opportunity. It would have been the same if I had been eliminated in Q2. Tomorrow is a new opportunity to do better. And in my opinion, tomorrow is what really matters. If I don’t have a good race tomorrow, I will try to have a good one in support. But that’s how it is. It’s a sport. Sometimes, things go your way. Sometimes, you have to fight and nothing goes in your direction. But I think that’s just the nature of the sport, he concluded.
