The power distribution within the Red Bull team is settled but driver Sergio Perez wishes to challenge that. As the team’s prized possession, Max Verstappen has secured his third consecutive championship win back in Qatar with a substantial lead, Perez is 276 points behind him in the Drivers’ Standings. Regardless, the Mexican driver is clinching the coveted second spot while surpassing Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. But he seems to want more.
According to Perez, “I’ve already got second place [in the standings]. My main goal is to get one place better, and I’m aware of the challenge that that represents. We need to make the most of the winter break to start the season with a good feeling, and maintain this level throughout the entire season.”
Checo is aiming to fight for the title in 2024
“I’ve already got second place [in the standings]. My main goal is to get one place better, and I’m aware of the challenge that that represents.”
“We need to make the most of the winter break to start the season with a good… pic.twitter.com/i5afUkfA8M
— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) November 23, 2023
With an eye on surpassing teammate, Max Verstappen, the Mexican driver is now preparing for the rigors of the 2024 season. In order to secure a solid start and steady performance in the upcoming session, Sergio Perez reiterated his drive and commitment to working harder over the winter break.
In the context of the ongoing race, Perez faced setbacks, including a P9 start in the race at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix due to a violation of track limits rules.
Sergio Perez reflects on season transformation post-Qatar GP challenges
As the second-highest scorer in the Drivers’ Standings, Sergio Perez sealed his place in the record-breaking Red Bull 1-2 finish in the championship. Notwithstanding this feat, Perez’s path to second place was a thrilling roller coaster ride with many ups and downs.
The Mexican had a strong start to the season by winning two of the first four rounds and putting himself in a strong position for the title and not simply being second fiddle to Verstappen.
However, his performance took a nosedive as he struggled with the challenges of adapting to the upgraded RB19. As he failed to get better results in numerous qualifying sessions, it gave rise to a new issue; his position within the Austrian outfit was jeopardised.
Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
Red Bull’s first ever pair to get a 1-2 in the drivers standings.
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— RBR News 🇳🇱🇲🇽 (@redbulletin) November 19, 2023
Sergio Perez stated, “I had a really deep [hole] in Qatar, where I went back to the factory for a week and went through in very much detail with all the engineers and we understood a lot of things that we were doing to compensate the weaknesses that we had. We were probably taking the wrong approach with the car, trying to compensate them too much with car set-up.”
‘Lost’ in the setup of the vehicle, he admitted to his difficulties, which culminated in a tough race in Qatar where he finished well behind his co-driver. However, Sergio Perez has high hopes for the forthcoming season, including winning the drivers’ championship.