By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief
With a long off-season in the books and the official Formula 1 season starting in just days, Sergio Perez is ready to go.
The 27-year-old Mexican enters his seventh season (fourth with Sahara Force India) and believes that Australia is the perfect location for everything to kick off.
“The first race of the year is always good fun,” said Perez.
“We’ve had a long winter to recharge the batteries, but now I just want to go racing again. Australia is the best place to start the season: it’s a great country and I really enjoy going there. There is so much to do in Melbourne and it’s a fun weekend, even if it’s busier than some of the other races.”
Despite the pleasure of starting the season in Melbourne, Perez acknowledged that it is important to get on with the program and put the focus on the race track.
“It’s important not to get distracted: we want to start well and get back into the race weekend rhythm, and get on with our work,” said Perez.
“The track itself is quite enjoyable and it’s a challenge to drive because it’s almost a street circuit. It starts the weekend very green and as you go on, you get more grip and more confidence in your new car.”
Coming off a season in which he scored two podiums and finished a career-best seventh in the overall standings, Perez is “confident” that points are on the table for the Silverstone-based outfit.
“I am confident we can do well and score points from the first race: Australia is a place where anything can happen and we have seen some very unpredictable races there in the past,” said Perez.
“You never know what opportunities turn up in a race so you have to be ready at all times to take them.”
