Perez explains the Red Bull operates in 'a very narrow 'window''

Sergio Perez was brought to Red Bull Racing as an experienced second driver, but after half a season the Mexican is still a long way behind Max Verstappen. The Mexican explains in conversation with Motorsport.com how it is possible that changing teams is so difficult.

Since the departure of Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing have struggled to find a good line-up. Max is a top driver, but young talents Alexander Albon and Pierre Gasly were not yet ready to sit alongside the Dutchman. This year, Perez was chosen, but apart from a win in Azerbaijan, the Mexican is still a long way from Verstappen.

Chance for Perez

"It's a massive opportunity. I went from one team to a very different team in terms of how the car achieved the lap time, and it's been harder than expected, changing teams, you know, especially coming to a team that is already fighting for the championship. It's great to be in a team that is fighting for the championship but, at the same time, it's difficult because you don't have that adaptation that when you are fighting for the championship you're fully engaged with the car. I didn't have chance to do that," Perez said.

For an outsider, however, it sounds strange. You go from a mid-tier car to a team at the top, and naturally expect that to mean you get a car under you that is faster and better. "I'd say it's a faster car, but just the way you extract the lap time is very different. At the end of the day, all F1 cars come very close together, but it's just the way you extract the maximum lap time from each car that is very different. And I went to a car that is very different."

Fast RB16B

''I think with the Red Bull car you have a very narrow 'window' in which it operates. It's very important to stay within that window, because if you go outside it, it might feel a bit more comfortable, but it's not necessarily a faster car. So in that sense I have to adapt to the car.''

Perez ended the first half of the season unpleasantly with a crash at the first corner at the hands of Valtteri Bottas, but is confident of his own abilities. ''I find that with the Red Bull car, you have a very narrow window, where it operates. It is very important to stay in that window because if you go out of it, it might feel a bit more comfortable but it’s not necessarily a faster car. So I think it's a lot of me adapting to the car'', concluded Verstappen's teammate.