Perez promises “world champion” performance: ‘I want to show that on track'

Red Bull secured their sixth F1 constructors’ title last time out at Suzuka as Max Verstappen stormed to his 13th win of the season.

On the other hand, it was a torrid day for Perez, who sustained damage on the opening lap.

He then collided with Kevin Magnussen - which resulted in a penalty.

While he did retire from the race, Red Bull sent him back out in comical fashion late on to serve the penalty to ensure he didn’t have a grid penalty for this weekend.

Looking ahead to Qatar, Perez wants to show why Red Bull are world champions this weekend “out on track”.

“Qatar is a chance to get back to racing for me with two opportunities to win across the weekend,” Perez said ahead of the weekend.

“The Sprint format always throws up challenges when it comes to setting the car up, so we will work hard together to ensure we are ready for qualifying on Friday night.

“The track there can be tricky, as we learnt in 2021, grip is affected by the sand on the surface, so you must be alert. A night race is always fun though and this might be the hottest event we have all season, so it will involve a lot of management across all three days to get the most out of the car.

“We are coming into this race as World Champions, and for me personally, I would like to show that out on track.”

Verstappen can win his third consecutive drivers’ title this weekend if he finishes sixth or higher in the sprint race.