Perez knows how to recapture race-winning F1 form

Sergio Perez is looking to rekindle the form which took him to victory in the Saudi Arabian and Azerbaijan Grands Prix.

The Mexican sits second in the drivers’ championship to team-mate Max Verstappen, who now holds a 53-point advantage after seven races.

That’s a gap that has widened in recent races.

Perez crashed out in Qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix which limited his race-day performance to just 16th.

He then struggled for single-lap pace in Spain, scraping through Qualifying 1 before missing the cut at the end of Qualifying 2.

Though he recovered to fourth in the race, he crossed the line nearly 36 seconds behind Verstappen.

“I am looking forward to getting back in the car this weekend,” he said ahead of F1’s visit to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix.

“I have been in Milton Keynes since the Spanish GP, working hard with my team and we have put in a lot of good work and had some very constructive conversations.

“I know what I must do to get back to the form I am capable of and as a team we know how to get the car into a window where I will perform best.

“Getting through moments like this, it’s more important than ever to work as a team and we will all support each other to push for the win in Canada.

“I have a fantastic car and it’s always exciting to get behind the wheel, I must be massively consistent in Montreal and have a complete weekend.”

Perez’s form has waned since he won the Azerbaijan GP.

In Miami, he qualified on pole after Verstappen missed the cut into Qualifying 3 after Charles Leclerc triggered a red flag with the Dutchman yet to set a time.

However, the two-time world champion stormed through the field to win.

Then came Perez’s Qualifying crash in Monaco and the Spanish Grand Prix.

Heading into Miami, the two Red Bull drivers were split by just six points, widening to 14 that weekend.

Team boss Christian Horner has urged his driver to relax in the face of the pressure exuded by Verstappen.

“Looking at the gap now between the two drivers, which is pretty significant, in many respects it will take pressure off his (Perez’s) shoulders,” Horner said following the Spanish GP.

“That’ll allow him to now relax, not put pressure on himself, and re-find the form that he had in those early races.”

Opening practice in Canada begins at 13:30 local time on Friday (03:30 AEST Saturday).