Perez not concerned after practice struggles: "Plenty more to come"

Perez in the mix

During the second half of the season, Perez has moved closer to the top three drivers. With both World Championships available, Red Bull Racing need Perez to at least beat his counterpart Valtteri Bottas and support Max Verstappen's strategy. However, Perez remains confident that he'll get more out of the car. 

"It's a nice fast circuit. Really fun. It's going to be tricky with the traffic. Trying to be there at the right place. It can get tricky and messy quickly. In the long run, we didn't really have enough laps. I think there is plenty more to come tomorrow and find the right pace and balance to be in contention," Perez said in an interview on Sky Sports. 

"I think it will be an interesting race. If you make a mistake it can be extremely costly. We have to be on it as much as possible."

Horner confident 

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner is confident Perez will be able to make the needed improvements ahead of Sunday's Grand Prix. Horner looks back at Perez's previous performances on street circuits, including his victory in Baku. 

"Sergio, he's a slow starter but gathers momentum. He knows not to take a huge risk too early. He's always gone well at Sochi, Baku and Monaco, he's building the foundations. We are just doing our best to support him. He's found some form in the last few races and we need him to be in that battle. When we've had two cars in play, it gives us other options," Horner said.