Perez scored his second victory for Pink Bull in Could’s Monaco Grand Prix to maneuver to inside 15 factors of teammate Max Verstappen on the high of the championship, just for their fortunes to take totally different instructions since.
Whereas Verstappen has received 4 of the six races since Monaco, Perez has simply two runner-up finishes to point out for in the identical interval, in addition to retirements in Canada and Austria.
It has induced the hole between the 2 Pink Bull drivers to develop to 85 factors forward of the ultimate 9 races, leaving Perez ruing the DNFs. He additionally didn’t see the chequered flag within the Bahrain season-opener.
“It nonetheless is a really lengthy season,” Perez mentioned forward of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
“What has been actually killing my first half of the season has been the DNFs, to be sincere. With out these DNFs, my championship would look rather a lot totally different to what it’s now.
“So yeah. However total, I believe there are a number of positives to take from this half season.”
Sergio Perez, Pink Bull Racing, walks again to the storage after crashing out on the restart
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photos
Perez was sidelined in Bahrain by a gas pump challenge earlier than a gearbox-related drawback induced him to retire in Canada in mid-June. In Austria, a conflict with George Russell on the opening lap finally pressured Perez out of the race, with Russell receiving a time penalty for inflicting the collision.
Though the DNFs have damage Perez’s championship hopes, he has however appeared to take a step ahead in 2022 with the Pink Bull automobile after struggling to familiarize yourself with the skittish RB16B automobile via 2021.
The Mexican’s effective shows prompted Pink Bull at hand him a brand new two-year contract taking him via to the tip of 2024, signed shortly earlier than his Monaco victory.
Requested by Motorsport.com how he would fee his season so far in comparison with earlier campaigns, Perez thought it was “fairly excessive up there.”
“I believe it has been an excellent first half of the season, very full, placing good races collectively, good outcomes, after all good consistency,” Perez mentioned.
“I believe it is there, and all the pieces is open on the championship.”
Pink Bull will head into the second half of the season 97 factors away from Ferrari within the constructors’ standings, however Perez warned it should not get complacent as “all the pieces remains to be very open.”
“We now have to maintain pushing,” Perez mentioned.
“Ferrari has been a bit quicker than us within the final couple of races, so we simply need to preserve pushing arduous. Something can occur.
“I believe after we return, the season will get underway in a short time, so we are going to see after three or 4 races after the summer time break the place all the pieces is at.
“Hopefully by then, I’ll have been in a position to shut the hole.”