Sergio Perez says that Red Bull are looking to get back to winning ways at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix after a horrific Singapore GP saw them finish 5th and 8th.
The double champions-elect were eliminated in Q2 in qualifying and only recovered to 5th through Max Verstappen after struggling with set-up throughout the entirety of the weekend.
Verstappen was easily passed by George Russell, Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton under the lights at Marina Bay, and there was nothing the typically all-conquering driver-car package could do to stop them.
Despite theories circulating that the team has been hit by a Formula 1 technical directive aimed at stopping flexi-floors and flexi-wings, Perez has said that they expect to be back around Suzuka.
“Oh that’s definitely the target [winning],” Perez said to media ahead of the race at Suzuka. “We still don’t fully understand what went wrong in Singapore. We have some ideas.
“The track is very different, so there should not be a reason why we can’t be strong in Suzuka. Actually, this should be one of the best circuits for us.”
Red Bull looking to deliver for Honda
Although no longer titled Red Bull-Honda, the team still relies heavily on the Japanese engine supplier to help maintain their engine and likewise their current engine is of Honda lineage and heritage.
So as F1 heads to the ‘land of the rising sun’, the Austrian manufacturer has a chance to seal a second Constructors’ Championship in Honda’s home country with Honda DNA still coursing through their car.
“It wouldn’t be very special to go out here and in front of all Honda supporters,” Perez said. “They’ve been working extremely hard on the engine side as well. So it will be nice to get it done this weekend.”
