Perez wants to hit back after 'painful' weekend Singapore: 'Car again top there'

The kick-off of the Asian leg of the Formula 1 calendar went very badly for Red Bull Racing. Max Verstappen came no further than fifth in Singapore, and Sergio Perez finished eighth in the city-state Grand Prix. Perez looks ahead to the upcoming weekend in Japan, where he once again hopes for the best.

"Singapore was an unfortunate weekend and a painful one, so I hope we are back on form for Suzuka and we can be stronger. Japan is a circuit we all love and I think the car will be back to its best," says the Red Bull driver from Guadalajara. "The problems we had in Singapore should hopefully not continue to affect us," he says.

"Last year I had a fun drive in Japan in hard conditions, fighting with Charles all the way to the final lap and those are the races you love," Perez says. "The first sector is one of the best to drive all season, it’s tricky but great. We need to get back to the victory this weekend, that can be the only target for us, I am confident and I look forward to it," he concludes.

Perez is often criticised for not keeping up well with Verstappen. The Mexican still has a contract until the end of 2024. Red Bull advisor recently said that Lando Norris in a Red Bull car did not seem like a bad idea to him either. So it is clear that Perez will have to fight for his place.