Red Bull driver Sergio Perez is determined to secure a podium finish at the Hungarian Grand Prix after qualifying in the ninth position on Saturday.
Despite facing a somewhat messy weekend, including a collision with the wall in FP1 and a significant lock-up in FP2, Perez aims to bounce back in the main race and capitalise on his Q3 appearance.
Throughout the qualifying session, Perez struggled to find the ideal setup and made use of all available tire compounds, making it a challenging endeavour.
He even experimented with two different setups during Q3 in an attempt to manage tire temperatures.
Want to work in Formula 1? Browse the latest F1 job vacancies
Speaking to Diego Mejia of Fox Sports MX after the session, Perez shared his thoughts, stating, “It was a very strange quali because we used all compounds and this made it more complicated…
“We even tried two different setups in Q3 to drop temperatures and this cost us. But we have a good car for the race tomorrow.”
Despite the hurdles, Perez expressed confidence in his car’s race pace and remains optimistic about his chances for Sunday’s race.
The Hungaroring’s unique characteristics may have posed challenges for the Red Bull upgrade package, but Perez believes they will be more competitive on faster circuits.
“Complicated in this circuit. Definitely we’ll be doing better in faster circuits,” he remarked about the team’s upgrades.
As the pressure mounts, Perez faces stiff competition from his teammate Max Verstappen and the rest of the grid.
Moreover, Daniel Ricciardo’s impressive P13 finish on his return to the sport in a slower AlphaTauri adds further motivation for Perez to perform at his best and secure valuable points for the team.
READ: Max Verstappen leaves the door wide open for Daniel Ricciardo to displace Sergio Perez
In the aftermath of the qualifying session, Perez was asked about his target for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
With unwavering determination, he simply replied, “Podium, no doubt.”
This statement clearly reflects his strong belief in his abilities and the capabilities of the Red Bull Racing team.