Red Bull and Sergio Perez ended the final day of pre-season testing in Bahrain with the fastest lap time of 1m 30.305s. This performance came as teams tested the Pirelli soft compounds in more performance-focused runs. Perez spoke about his team’s three days of testing, stating that they had been intense but they managed to understand their car, completing their programme on each day. He also praised the team for their hard work over the winter, which resulted in a good base car.
Perez and his teammate, Max Verstappen, who was quickest on the first day of running, are aiming for the same things with their new RB19 package. Verstappen added that Red Bull “definitely took a step forward” and that the car has come together very nicely. The Dutchman expressed his satisfaction with the car’s performance and balance, which showed that their preparation on the simulator was accurate.
Verstappen also acknowledged the efforts of everyone at the factory and stated that the car’s evolution compared to last year seems to work very nicely, giving them a good base to work from on-track and back at the factory. The Red Bull team aims to defend both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships in 2023.
