Sergio Perez felt that the seventh place finish in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix was ‘very satisfying’ as he achieved his best opening race result since joining the Sahara Force India F1 Team in 2014.
The Mexican climbed up four places from his grid slot at Albert Park thanks to good strategy calls, and heading into the Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, he feels confident that the team are heading in the right direction and are on course for a competitive season, especially with upgrades coming their way.
“Our seventh place finish in Melbourne was very satisfying,” admitted Perez. “We beat some cars that had better pace because we made the right decisions with the strategy.
“Our performance in Melbourne showed that we have done a good job over the winter, but there are still areas where we need to improve. The upgrades we have coming during the next couple of races should help. It’s about improving the overall balance of the car.
“The seventh place in Melbourne represents my best ever start to a season with this team and I have a good feeling for the races to come. In the last few years we’ve shown that we can develop the car well and that’s going to be especially important this year. We’ve already made a big step forward since pre-season testing.”
Perez revealed that the new-for-2017 cars were enjoyable to drive at Albert Park, even if overtaking was difficult, a fact he feels is more down to the track than anything else, feeling that drivers may find it easier on other circuits.
“I enjoyed racing with these new cars,” said Perez. “Yes, overtaking is not easy, especially with the shorter braking distances, but Melbourne has always been a difficult track for overtaking.
“I was happy with my fitness, too. The cars are much more physical, but I felt strong after the race and I believe I’m in the best shape of my life.”
Photo Credit: Sahara Force India F1 Team