Pérez wants Red Bull to run their cars differently to have some more performance on his side

Tuesday 30 August 2022

F1 | Belgian GP | Pérez wants Red Bull to run their cars differently to have some more performance on his side

While Max Verstappen surged through the pack to win the Belgian Grand Prix, Sergio Pérez found himself struggling with the upgrades on the Red Bull car despite finishing in P2

Max Verstappen was in a league of his own during Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix. Starting in 14th place, he cleanly carved his way through the field, easily taking the race win in what he described as, 'an incredible car.' 

His team mate, Sergio Pérez, couldn’t match the Dutchman’s pace; Despite finishing in P2 the Mexican driver was almost 18s behind the Championship leader by the time he crossed the finish line.

Pérez was asked by the media at the post-race press conference how he could explain the gaps, and if it was because the car upgrades didn’t suit his driving style, or if to was something else. First explaining that the upgrades have been beneficial to the car’s speed, he said, “Well, certainly the car has become quicker from the beginning of the season,” but went on to admit he wasn’t as comfortable with the changes: 

“[I’m] certainly I’m not as comfortable as I was in the beginning of the season. So, it’s something that I need to work on, on my side to make sure we are able to get the maximum out of the car. Because sometimes you are… things become more natural for you to get the most out of your car. And sometimes you have to work really hard and go very deep in the analysis, to make sure you are able to extract the maximum.

“It seems that we are in that window at the moment.”

Although indicating he is working hard to understand and adapt to the changes to the car because of the upgrades, it could also be deduced that Pérez was running a package that wasn’t completely suited to his setup preference:

“I really hope that from this weekend, we run the cars slightly different, so we are able to spot some differences that can come bring some performance on our side.”

It’s vital Pérez maximises his points score, so that he not only secures second place in the Formula One Drivers’ Standings, but also guarantees the Red Bull team clinch the 2022 Constructors’ Championship after a nine-year wait.