Sergio Pérez admitted to being disappointed to qualify only tenth, but the Mexican is confident that he can get ahead of both of the Renault Sport Formula One Team drivers during Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix.
The Sahara Force India F1 Team driver feels the set-up of his VJM11 is better suited to race day conditions, which he believes will give them the edge over both Nico Hülkenberg and Carlos Sainz Jr. on Sunday and he hopes this will enable him to score some good points.
“I’m a bit disappointed to have finished behind the Renaults, but I am still confident we can fight with them tomorrow,” said Pérez. “Our set-up was completely geared towards the race and I felt it was very difficult to deliver a clean flying lap.
“Tomorrow, however, we should have an advantage and the opportunity to score good points.”
Pérez will start the race using the pink-banded Hypersoft Pirelli tyre and the Mexican feels there will be more opportunities to move forward for those who are able to preserve tyre life in that compound of tyre in the opening phase of the Grand Prix around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
“The first stint will be very important: degradation is quite high around here and we need to make sure we manage the Hypersoft and don’t have to pit too early,” said the Mexican. “The cars starting outside the top ten will be on a better tyre compound and we’ll need to fight them off if we want our strategy to work.
“This is what we’ve been working for and hopefully tomorrow it will work in our favour.”
