Perez: 'The pace is good, so hopefully we can fight for pole tomorrow'

That the track in Portimao is slippery is clear by now; many drivers suffered from this. Also, Sergio Perez, who finished third in the first free practice, and tenth in the second free practice.

Like Max Verstappen, Perez also struggled with the track conditions. "The conditions were similar to last year. There is little grip on the new asphalt, so it is very difficult to get the tyres working," Perez said in a press release from Red Bull Racing.

He continued: "It's not easy, so the focus is on understanding what's happening with the tyres. The pace on the mediums was good, but on the soft compound, we couldn't get a good lap time. So we will have to look at that, and hopefully, we can sort it out in time for qualifying."

Perez also says it is difficult to compare with Imola, as it is a completely different circuit and there is less grip everywhere due to the new asphalt. "But I think the pace of the car is good, so hopefully we can compete for pole tomorrow," he concludes.