Sergio Perez is looking to make amends for a disappointing outcome at the Miami Grand Prix last time out when Formula 1 hits Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this weekend.
Perez was fourth in Miami despite pitting under the Safety Car late in the race in an effort to pass Carlos Sainz.
However, also battling an issue with his RBPT-Honda power unit, the Mexican was unable to use his tyre advantage to complete the move and steal the podium position away.
“Miami was a crazy week for us all and, while Max got the win and I collected important points, I didn’t leave satisfied,” Perez said of the event.
“I always want to be on the podium and I knew I had the pace to beat the Ferraris so I was frustrated.
“If I can have a consistent weekend in the car then I know I can be up there and Max and I will be pushing for a repeat of Imola.”
The Spanish Grand Prix marks the start of the European leg of the championship, with Monaco to follow next weekend.
Barcelona is a venue familiar to teams and drivers, having long held pre-season testing – including the opening three days of running this year.
“We know the track in Barcelona very well because of pre-season testing so we know what to expect but the car we tested in February is very different from the car we are now driving, in a good way, and it will be interesting to see gains we have made since then,” Perez said.
Across the garage, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was the scene of Max Verstappen’s first Formula 1 win, and is a venue he’s looking forward to returning to.
“I have a lot of good memories at the track from my first win in Formula One back in 2016 when I was 18,” he recalled.
“Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is a track that we all know very well as a team due to the amount of testing we have done there over the years, so unlike Miami, we have a substantial amount of data to use ahead of the race.
“Hopefully we can keep the momentum going from the last few races with a clean start from Friday onwards.”
Red Bull sits second in the constructors’ championship, six points down on Ferrari after five races.
Verstappen trails Charles Leclerc by 19 in the drivers’ standings, with Perez third a further 19 points back.
Action in Spain begins at 22:00 AEST on Friday with Free Practice 1.
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