Sergio Perez says he is already working with Red Bull on a number of ideas that he thinks can help the Formula 1 team make a step forward in 2021.
The Mexican has been signed as team-mate to Max Verstappen for this year after an impressive campaign for Racing Point last season, replacing Alexander Albon in the team’s F1 driver line-up.
And although he is still getting up to speed in learning how his new team operates, he already feels that there are ways he can help Red Bull to do better.
“I’ve been in the sport in different teams and in different eras,” Perez said in a video interview conducted during a recent visit to Red Bull’s factory.
“I think I know what I need from myself, but I also feel that I can push the team forwards in certain areas, just by talking to the team.
“I think we know the direction. Obviously I have to wait and drive the car, but there’s already some good ideas that we’ve been sharing with the team, that hopefully can bring some performance on track.”
Perez’s move to Red Bull is his first change of team since he joined Force India in 2014, and he admits that his new surroundings are taking some getting used to.
“Obviously I’ve been seven years with a team so it feels a bit different,” he said. “It’s like a dog finding a new family: you’ve been with a family for so many years and you’re used to seeing them and then all of a sudden you’re changing.
“But I have to say, I’m starting to feel very comfortable here. It’s a fantastic team, very united, and I can see that there’s a lot of fun ahead of us.”
Perez is under no illusions about how tough it is going to be going up against Max Verstappen, but he thinks the pair can make a good combination.
“It’s a big challenge for myself,” he explained. “We all know Max, how talented, how fast, how much he has grown in the past years, how complete he is by now. So he’s definitely one of the best and one of the fastest, if not the fastest out there on the current grid.
“So, it’s a massive challenge in a way. He’s been here a long time, he knows what he wants and what he needs from the car. But it’s a great challenge and I look forward to working with him and pushing the team forwards together.”
Perez has already driven the RB16 car in the simulator, so has some ideas of what will be needed to get the most from it ahead of the start of testing.
He believes that his transition to Red Bull will be made easier by the fact that both pre-season testing and the first race will be taking place in Bahrain.
“I think it’s certainly not a bad thing, especially given how cold it can be in Europe at that time,” he said.
“I think it’s a good reference. It will help me to get up to speed a bit more, because we will do the test and then we do the race there. I don’t think it changes much but, I mean, it’s just an adaption process that can make it a bit easier.”