Sergio Perez discusses Red Bull’s ‘main priority’ on day 2 of pre-season testing in Bahrain

Sergio Perez gave his first thoughts on how Red Bull's 2023 challenger RB19 felt on track following the morning session of the second pre-season testing day on Friday. The car already looked great on the first day of pre-season testing, where Max Verstappen topped the timing sheets.

Perez was equally happy with the car, as he explained how the team is mainly focused on making it more reliable so that it does not encounter any issues throughout the season.

Since Red Bull has good pace, they do not have to focus too much on increasing their performance and can easily fine-tune other aspects of the car. Perez said:

"I was happy to be back behind the wheel of the RB19 this morning. We mainly focussed on the long run, to make sure the car was reliable and that was the main priority. The car feels good, we have a good pace and hopefully we can get some good fine tuning in on Saturday."

The Mexican driver also mentioned how the new RB19 is quite similar to last year's RB18, with the only difference being the slightly new tires. He said:

"There are little differences to the RB18, which are mainly dictated by the change to the tyres but generally speaking it is pretty similar. I am happy in the car and I think we are in a good place. Now I am looking forward to getting a full day in the car tomorrow. We will do some good simulations for the race and try to prepare as much as possible for qualifying too."

Perez will have a full day of testing on the third and final day on Saturday, where he will be collecting even more data for Red Bull to work on and help them solidify their place in front of the grid.

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Sergio Perez keen to help Red Bull and not only focus on beating Max Verstappen

Although Sergio Perez wants to fight Max Verstappen for the world championship, he also wants to help Red Bull defend the constructor's title from the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari, who will be doing everything to catch up.

Speaking to GPblog, Perez said:

''It is important that we work and think as a team. As a team, we have to maximize. It's not just about Max and me. It's about the team. There are so many people in the factory who give everything for us. I'm working very hard on my side with my engineers to make sure that we are able to, to go on to the next step."

He added:

"Mercedes was very competitive at the end of the season, as was Ferrari. I expect them to be there again. There are some midfield teams that are making big steps over the winter. We'll see once we are in Bahrain."

The Mexican is well aware that he has a championship-winning car underneath him, as his teammate was able to take a huge lead in the 2022 F1 season and win his second driver's championship with Red Bull.