Sergio Perez says his preparation for the 2017 Formula 1 season is going to plan after a productive first winter test with Force India.
The Mexican driver concluded the test on Thursday by finishing sixth in the timesheets, after completing 82 laps.
It was a largely smooth four days of testing for the VJM10 and Perez feels encouraged by his time at the wheel of the car.
“It was a positive week and I think we made a good step forward with understanding the VJM10 and finding the limit of the tyres,” he said.
“I feel more confident in the car; I have learnt a huge amount and I think my preparation is going to plan.
“We can be pleased with this last day of testing: we covered a lot of ground and we found some more performance.
“Hopefully next week we can be in even better shape. There is still a lot of work to be done, but I’m optimistic for Melbourne already.”
The VJM10 will be back out on track next week, with the second test taking place from Tuesday to Friday.