Sergio Perez says he is happy with his qualifying performance despite feeling ill during his preparations for the Malaysia Grand Prix.
The 27-year-old believes it is a ‘good result’ to start Sunday’s race from ninth on the grid after how he had been feeling in the run up to the session.
“It wasn’t an easy qualifying session for me, said Perez. “I’ve been unwell this week and this is possibly the worst place to not feel 100%. I made a mistake in Turn 11 during my final lap in Q3 and lost my rhythm. It was a small lock-up on what had been a very good lap until then, but it cost me enough time to be only ninth.
“It’s still a good result, all things considered, and it puts us in a good position for the race.”
With the likelihood of rain within the tropical climate of Malaysia, the Mexican is well aware of the challenges ahead.
He also believes after Friday’s heavily interrupted running, no-one knows what long run pace everyone can maintain, but is convinced he can secure a strong finish.
Perez added: “It’s going to be a challenging Sunday because Malaysia is a very physical race, probably the hardest of the year. The start will be a key moment and I hope to gain a few places.
“It’s a race in which anything can happen and the weather is always unpredictable. Yesterday’s interruptions mean nobody really has a clear understanding of the long run pace, but I think we can come away with a strong result.”
