SUZUKA, JAPAN – APRIL 6: Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner talks to Mexico’s Sergio Perez and Oracle Red Bull Racing in the garage during qualifying ahead of the Japanese Formula 1 Grand Prix at Suzuka International Racing Circuit on April 6, 2024 in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
The Mexican driver had a challenging season in 2023, where he struggled to keep up with his teammate Max Verstappen and faced several early eliminations in qualifying. There were even rumors that he would be replaced by other drivers, but none of these speculations turned out to be true.
However, Perez’s performance in 2024 has been much better. Although he is still not as fast as his three-time world champion teammate, he has shown more consistency with two second-place finishes. In the Australian Grand Prix, he had a disappointing fifth place due to a piece of another driver’s helmet visor obstructing the floor of his RB20.
During the qualifying session at Suzuka International Racing Circuit, Perez briefly looked like he could challenge for pole position. Unfortunately, he couldn’t maintain his pace in the final sector and ended up less than a tenth of a second behind Verstappen.
Compared to 2023, when Perez failed to reach the final qualifying session on several occasions, starting on the front row is a positive result. Perez expressed satisfaction with the outcome but admitted he would have liked to have taken Verstappen’s pole position. He said, “We’ve had a good weekend so far and made significant progress during qualifying. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a clean run on my final lap, and that cost me the pole position today.”
Perez highlighted the improvements he and the team have made since last year. He mentioned: “The car is much better compared to last year, especially considering the challenging nature of this circuit. We were seven tenths behind Max in 2023, but this season things are different and I feel more confident. Suzuka is a special track and today’s qualifying was a lot of fun.”
Looking ahead to the race, Perez hopes to challenge his teammate for victory during the 53 laps of the event. He concluded: “Max and I have been equally matched throughout the weekend and I believe we will be close tomorrow. We have everything to fight for.”
The Japanese Grand Prix is scheduled to start at 06:00 GMT (14:00 local time) on Sunday, April 7th. Can Perez secure his first victory in the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship?
