F1 Perez: "Slow adaptation to Red Bull due to short time"
Of: Luke Smith,Grand prix editor 7 Jan 2022, 22:42
Sergio Perez believes that the limited opportunities for testing and testing in Formula 1 have contributed to his slow adaptation to Red Bull, which has a very different philosophy compared to his previous car.
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Sergio Perez joined Red Bull in 2021 after leaving Racing Point, becoming a teammate of Max Verstappen, the fourth in several seasons. The Mexican initially struggled to adapt to the RB16B, known for requiring an aggressive driving style. However, he took his second career victory in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Perez finished the season by also taking the podium in Turkey, the United States and Mexico, playing a pivotal role in Verstappen's title defense against rival Lewis Hamilton during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Reflecting on his first season at Red Bull, the Mexican explained how big the difference was between the two philosophies and how the lack of pre-season testing with three days in total for each team made adaptation more difficult and slow.
“We have to take into consideration the fact that I came from a very different philosophy in terms of cars that I have driven throughout my career,” said Perez. “I think in that sense it was a slow adaptation. But it is a very different car, with a very different engine, so many things to learn with a new team and practically no tests ”.
“Before the opening race, I tried a day and a half. But the whole day was occupied only by things of aerodynamics. So I didn't do anything before the first race. There are many things to consider, but in the end it has been a promising season. Obviously I was hoping for more, but that's what we have. I just have to keep pushing. We've had some good days and some bad days. But only with more time together will we be stronger as a team ”.
With his performances last year, Perez has earned the renewal for 2022, signed already in August and which has ensured the continuity for the next season. This year will see the teams take advantage of more pre-season tests - from three to six days - to work on the new technical regulations in effect from next season.
This will give Perez more time to adapt to Red Bull in 2022, having already faced the challenge of having less time to rehearse than in previous seasons, also due to the fact that Friday's free practice sessions have gone from 90 to 60 minutes. “It sounds weird, but I just ran out of time,” reveals Perez. "I think the limited number of tests and trials inside the car have had an impact, because every track is different. So finding yourself driving such a different car probably made it more difficult. But I'm not the only one here, I think other excellent drivers have struggled to get to the top with their cars ”.
F1, Russell on Hamilton: "We have to help each other and be one with the team"
The British driver has just moved to Mercedes where he will team up with the seven-time world champion
ROME - George Russell is preparing for a challenging 2022 in Formula 1. The King's Lynn driver is called to leap in quality now that he has been hired by Mercedes. He will be the teammate of Lewis Hamilton, seven times world champion and fresh from the disappointment of Yas Marina, who pushed him to absolute silence on his social channels. Russell, interviewed by the F1 Nation podcast, said about his compatriot: "We are in two different moments in our respective careers. He is the greatest of all time and I think we should help each other because the evolution of machines in 2022 will be constant ".
"I will always be grateful"
Russell knows he will play a pivotal role next season and Mercedes expects him to contribute to the Brackley house's successes, as Bottas has done for five years. "As drivers - said the Englishman - we have to work together with the team to move forward as a whole. This will be the key". The Formula 2 champion then has a thought for Williams, his former team, which launched him in the Circus: "I will always be grateful for the opportunity they gave me. They helped me to improve in every aspect, going to develop the my technique ". His place in the Grove team will be taken by Alexander Albon, who has returned to Formula 1 after a season in DTM.
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