Red Bull’s Sergio Perez Discusses Saudi Grand Prix Challenges and Team Progress

Sergio Perez reflected on the challenges faced during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, including a penalty that was a significant point of his race. Despite this, the Red Bull driver remained upbeat about the team’s overall performance and improvements since Bahrain.

Key Takeaways:

• Setback and Strategy: Perez faced a setback with a penalty during the race but managed to navigate through other challenges, including a strategic response to the safety car and a lengthy stint on hard tyres.
• Race Reflections: He shared insights on the race’s dynamics, particularly the intense competition with Charles Leclerc and the difficulties in overtaking due to tyre performance issues.
• Positive Outlook: Despite the hurdles, Perez remained optimistic about Red Bull’s progress and the advancements made since the Bahrain Grand Prix, hinting at further improvements and a strong season ahead.

In an engaging post-race discussion with David Coulthard, Sergio Perez provided a detailed analysis of his race in Saudi Arabia. Securing a respectable second place, behind teammate Max Verstappen, Perez’s performance was impressive despite the challenges encountered, including a crucial penalty.

“We definitely made some good progress. I just think it was a shame we qualified out of the front row because we had a great start. Unfortunately, Charles really kept it together and we couldn’t get through. It was a nice fight,” Perez revealed. The race involved not just the battle with rivals but also internal strategies, notably during the safety car’s early appearance and a prolonged period on hard tyres.

“And later on it was quite a compromised race with the safety car there so early, it was a very long stint on the hard tyres. It was tricky at times, especially in the beginning. We had no warm-up at all, we were sliding a lot and it took us a long time to get through Lewis and Lando. But overall it’s a great day for the team. It’s a very different track to Bahrain and we’re keeping strong, so we just have to keep this momentum going,” he continued.

Perez also discussed the development and improvements made since the season opener in Bahrain. “I think we’ve taken a step forward from Bahrain, we’ve done good improvements from yesterday, so we still have some bits to tidy up and our time will come,” he added.

A significant moment in Perez’s race was the penalty he received. “It was a shame that we got that penalty. Luckily, it didn’t hurt our race, but in this scenario, I was quite close to Max and everyone was coming in at the same time, we just didn’t have a wide enough pit lane,” Perez explained, highlighting the complexities and split-second decisions that often dictate the course of a race.

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was not just about Perez’s penalty. It was a race filled with incidents and retirements that added to the drama and challenges each driver faced, making for an eventful and memorable weekend in the world of Formula 1.