Sergio Perez is raring to get racing following his winter break. But it seems that the Mexican is looking forward to things off the track in Melbourne as much as the action on it.
“The first race of the year is always good fun,” said the Sahara Force India F1 Team driver. “We’ve had a long winter to recharge the batteries, but now I just want to go racing again.
“Australia is the best place to start the season: it’s a great country and I really enjoy going there. There is so much to do in Melbourne and it’s a fun weekend, even if it’s busier than some of the other races.”
After spending the past few months recuperating and resting ahead of what is expected to be a more physically demanding season, he is eager to settle back down into a race weekend routine. He is also excited about the challenge that Albert Park presents; the circuit evolves as the weekend goes on, improving with each session.
“It’s important not to get distracted: we want to start well and get back into the race weekend rhythm, and get on with our work,” he continued. “The track itself is quite enjoyable and it’s a challenge to drive because it’s almost a street circuit.
“It starts the weekend very green and as you go on, you get more grip and more confidence in your new car.”
The VJM10 proved itself to be largely reliable during testing, and Perez is confident that the team can start scoring points from the start.
“I am confident we can do well and score points from the first race: Australia is a place where anything can happen and we have seen some very unpredictable races there in the past,” he added.
“You never know what opportunities turn up in a race so you have to be ready at all times to take them.”
