Red Bull says Sergio Perez’s upturn in form is down to renewed confidence after finding a set-up that is more suited towards his driving style.
Perez joined Red Bull from Racing Point this year following an impressive 2020 season, but has generally struggled to match the pace of team leader Max Verstappen.
Aside from only out-qualifying Verstappen once in 2021, Perez endured a mid-season slump a few races after claiming his first win for Red Bull in Baku, scoring just 16 points over six rounds.
The Mexican’s low points tally meant Red Bull lost its lead over Mercedes in the constructors’ championship, with its deficit stretching to 36 points after the Turkish Grand Prix.
But back-to-back third-placed finishes in Turkey and the US has seen Perez rediscover his form, with his weekend performance in Austin arguably his strongest of the season after qualifying just two-tenths adrift of Verstappen’s pole time.
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said there were signs that Perez’s recent breakthrough would eventually pay off, acknowledging the importance his new-found confidence is to the team’s title hopes.
“I think it’s confidence,” said Horner, as quoted by Motorsport.com.
“It’s been coming for the last few races. Monza he was strong, Sochi he was strong, he should have been on the podium at both of those races.
“He had a strong Istanbul, and he has been on the pace all the way through this weekend. So I think it’s just confidence. We need him delivering at this time of year. It’s a great result for him today.
“I think we’re managing to find a set-up that works for him. And managing to optimise the car around his style a little more.
“There are some important races coming up, so we need doing what he did today.
“He was unlucky not to get the pole yesterday. And so it’s been been great progress for him.”
Perez has leapfrogged McLaren’s Lando Norris to sit fourth in the drivers’ championship, and has helped Red Bull edge closer to Mercedes in the team standings – with the gap down to 23 points going into the final five races.
The upcoming Mexican Grand Prix is Perez’s home event, a circuit that traditionally has suited Red Bull’s package, a fact that leaves Perez optimistic about his chances of a strong result in front of his home crowd.
“I think we have a good package. We will be strong over there,” Perez said.
“Typically, Red Bull has been extremely strong in Mexico, so I look forward to it massively and I really hope that we can keep going on the podium again.”
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