Sergio Perez believes drivers will be preparing their necks for the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix following Friday’s practice sessions which saw the return of a chicane-less Turn 13.
Following what had been a turbulent 2023 Monaco GP weekend, Perez enjoyed a routine start to the weekend, finishing FP1 second fastest and FP2 fourth quickest as Red Bull tested its new floor edge and diffuser in Barcelona.
“Yeah, it always does [in] Barcelona,” said Perez to select members of the media, including Total-Motorsport.com. “We tried a lot of stuff because it’s the most representative track for the season [and] it was a good day.
“It was quite a bit tricky with the neck today, but obviously, it was a very short day, I think on Sunday, we’ll see a few drivers preparing their necks because it’s going to get trickier.”
Happy with his Friday pace
With Sunday’s race poised to be a test of driver and car, strategy will be critical, particularly with tyre management deciding the outcomes of both Monaco and Miami GPs.
However, Red Bull remains firmly out in front despite home hero Fernando Alonso cutting the gap between himself and Verstappen to just over a tenth in FP2.
“I think plenty of positives to take from the day,” said Perez. “But we’ve got to try to understand the tyres for Sunday.”
