Bahrain GP: Sergio Perez Explains Pace Deficit to Red Bull Teammate Verstappen

Sergio Perez got his 2021 season off to a very solid start as he made his debut for Red Bull at Bahrain. Even though faced a few adverse situations before the race, he managed to finish in a respectable fifth position. Despite his commendable debut, the Mexican feels he needs to adapt his driving style more to suit the strengths of the RB16B.

He endured a lackluster qualifying session which saw him get relegated in Q2 after failing to come to terms with the medium tires. He was penciled in to start the race in P11; however, he suffered an engine failure during formation, which resulted in him starting from the pitlane. Fortunately, he recovered nicely during the race to finish in the top five.

Sergio Perez still needs time to adjust to RB16B

In an interview, Perez spoke about how he struggled at two particular corners in Bahrain, which resulted in him getting outpaced by Max Verstappen. He said, “The negative is that I lose time in two corners. But here, the way the wind is changing and given that you get just a single lap. It hasn’t been easy to make that progression.”

The Mexican believes he should try to make adjustments to his driving style which will suit the RB16B. He said, “The wind is changing all the time and so in. But we can see that progression has been made. There are some specific problems related to the way that I’m driving the car. I have to adjust my driving to the car.

“Firstly I need to make sure that I’m driving the way the car needs to be driven. And then work on that. But it’s taking me a while because it’s very different to what I’m used to.”

What are Red Bull’s expectations from the Mexican?

Red Bull have signed Sergio Perez with the goal of trying to compete with Mercedes. If not in the Driver’s Championship, at least in the Constructor’s.

So, they will need Perez to make a quick adjustment to the Red Bull car. They are hoping that he is a significant upgrade over his two predecessors, Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon.

The Austrian team have signed a very wily operator in the F1 paddock. He has been able to get the most out of his tires and consistently gets those points finishes. If that happens, sooner rather than later, they will start giving Mercedes a few sleepless nights in 2021.

Read More – Sergio Perez Sets Himself a Deadline for Getting to Grips With Red Bull F1’s RB16B