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Sergio Perez is happy with his starting position at the 2022 F1 Belgian GP after missing out pole to Ferrari's Carlos Sainz in qualifying.
The first race after the summer break saw multiple drivers pick up penalties for changing Power Unit (PU) components. This is primarily due to the fast nature of the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, which encourages overtaking.
Sergio Perez's teammate Max Verstappen was the fastest man on Saturday, but will start the race in P15 owing to his PU changes. The Mexican's time of 1:44.462 could only get him a P3 and was pipped by Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, who will start from the front of the grid for only the second time in his career.
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In his parc-ferme interview with Naomi Schiff for Sky Sports, Checo did not appear too disheartened over losing the battle for pole. Sergio Perez said:
“P2 is not the worst place to be around here and I think if I am able to get a good run at Carlos [Sainz], it can be different and I will be on the other side of the row. I am looking forward to tomorrow and I think there will be a great race ahead of us.”
When asked if he felt Red Bull's apparent pace advantage over Ferrari around the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps could help him overhaul Sainz, Perez said:
“It will be very important to get a good start and do our own race from the beginning and I think that will be the key for tomorrow.”
Sergio Perez feels Red Bull still needs to 'keep pushing hard' to win 2022 F1 championship
Sergio Perez believes Ferrari is still faster than Red Bull in the 2022 F1 season and his team needs to keep pushing if it wants to win the world championships.
The Milton Keynes-based outfit currently has a solid lead over Ferrari in the World Constructors' Championship with nine rounds of racing left this year. Meanwhile, Perez's teammate Max Verstappen leads Charles Leclerc by 80 points in the fight for the Drivers' title.
Sergio Perez has not been as fortunate as the defending world champion. He was within 15 points of Max Verstappen after winning the 2022 F1 Monaco GP. Since then, however, his potential title charge has been derailed. In the last six races he has run this year, the Mexican has had two podiums and two DNFs. The 32-year-old was also jostled off the podium in France and Hungary just before the start of the summer break.
In an interview with Motorsport, Perez opened up about his season so far. He said:
“I think it’s been a very good first half of the season, very complete, putting good races together, good results, of course good consistency. I think it’s there, and everything is open on the championship. We have to keep pushing. Ferrari has been a bit faster than us in the last couple of races, so we just have to keep pushing hard. Anything can happen.”
Sergio Perez will be hoping to return to winning ways for the first time since this year's race at the Principality when the lights go out on race day for the 2022 F1 Belgian GP.
