Sergio Pérez says pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit was ‘really positive’ and he cannot wait to see the kind of pace the RB16B has in true competition this coming weekend.
The Mexican, who joined Red Bull Racing for the 2021 season in place of Alexander Albon, says he expects the first few races with the team to be a steep learning curve, but he feels that across the twenty-three-race calendar that he can be in a good position and fight at the front.
“It was really positive,” Pérez said of pre-season testing. “There was a very limited amount of testing, especially considering the amount of things we have to run through and check, but I think we prepared well as a Team and I look forward to my first race with Red Bull!
“It’s going to be a process for the first couple of races, just to learn as much as possible and to get up to speed quickly, so we can be in a good position for the season.”
Pérez admits it is still early days in the season and no one truly knows the competitive running order at this time of the year. Only during this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix will a clearer picture begin to unfold.
“Overall, it’s early days, you know, so we will see,” said the Mexican, who won the last time Formula 1 raced in Bahrain, albeit on the faster outer layout. “I think the more you try to figure out what other people are doing the more lost you can get, so there isn’t a lot of point in reading into anything.
“We just have to wait until qualifying and see where everyone is at.”
Pérez says he has been dreaming of the day where he is racing for a genuine front-running team, and the dream will finally become a reality this weekend as the 2021 Formula 1 season finally gets underway.
“This is what I’ve been dreaming of,” he said. “I can’t wait. I’m really, really excited to see some fans at the track, to finally get to race, I’m looking so much forward to it.
“I’m going to approach things very relaxed and just deliver to my maximum and we’ll see where we end up.”
