Sergio Perez is optimistic that if Red Bull can get on top of its balance issues the team can have a competitive Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Red Bull is amid an almost unheard-of barren run, going winless in the last six Grands Prix with the last time one of its drivers stood on the top step coming in June courtesy of Max Verstappen‘s Spanish GP triumph.
In Monza, the team’s persistent balance struggles affected its standing in the Formula 1 pecking order, with Verstappen calling the RB20 a “monster” after he and Perez finished sixth and eighth respectively.
Still, Red Bull’s surprising downfall aside, Perex predicts a stronger batch of races at Baku this weekend and next time out in Singapore, despite the latter being the only bogey track during the Milton Keynes-based outfit’s dominant 2023 campaign.
“I think at the moment, with the current package we have, these two should be our best tracks,” the Mexican, who ended up third in FP1, said on Thursday
“I do expect us to look more competitive here [in Baku].
“If we are able to fix the issue, then we can get back into contention because it’s something that can bring a lot of lap time to us.”
Hopefully going some way to fixing Red Bull’s balance issue, which at times has been described as a disconnect between the front and rear of the RB20, is a new floor being brought to Baku this weekend.
The revisions to the floor are described in the FIA’s official car presentation document, which reads that the “floor tunnel geometry [is] subtly revised by locally raising or lowering the surfaces.”
In addition, these “changes applied [aim] to improve the pressure gradients along the floor to improve the flow locally and downstream in all conditions.”
Upgrades are one thing, making them work is another in F1’s current rule cycle but Red Bull’s hopes could rest largely on the new floor being a success.
Also working in the team’s favour is Perez’s prowess around the streets of Baku, with the Mexican being the only repeat winner at the circuit with victories in 2021 and ’23.
“Definitely, the confidence is high in this place but at the same time, I know that what you’ve done in the past, it doesn’t matter,” Perez commented.
“It’s a whole new challenge and I really hope that I can find the right balance around this place because you need a lot of confidence.
“If I’m able to do that, then it should be a strong weekend.”
